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Effect of Processing and Cooking on Physicochemical, Sensory, and Functional...
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Effect of Processing and Cooking on Physicochemical, Sensory, and Functional Properties of Food: 3rd Edition

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Engineering and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 September 2026 | Viewed by 4534

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Sheng-Dun Lin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Science and Technology, Hungkuang University, Taichung 433304, Taiwan
Interests: food technology; food processing; functional food development; physicochemical quality characteristics; sensory quality characteristics; functional properties evaluation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The first and second editions of this Special Issue were a great success and attracted the attention and interest of many scholars. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all contributors for their valuable input and ongoing support. As the topic continues to gain momentum and play a pivotal role, we are pleased to announce the launch of the third edition. I hope it will be as successful as the first and second editions and contribute meaningfully to further academic and practical developments.

Food processing involves the use of agricultural, livestock, and aquatic products as the primary raw materials. These are treated through physical, chemical, and microbial methods to alter their form—either to increase preservation, develop new properties, or create functional foods. With a growing global population and increasing food demand, it is more important than ever to improve the circularity of the food system to optimize the use of natural resources. This calls for novel and innovative solutions across the entire food value chain. As food technology evolves, various elements of the food system will inevitably transform. For example, the development of plant-based meat alternatives—a topic that has recently drawn significant attention—continues to fuel extensive scientific exploration. At the same time, advances in food development influence the physicochemical, sensory, and microbiological properties of food, presenting researchers with a wide range of compelling challenges and opportunities.

This Special Issue of Foods aims to bring together original research articles that examine how processing and cooking technologies affect the physicochemical, sensory, and functional quality characteristics of foods. The definition of food here is broad, encompassing everything from ingredients and prototypes to finished products, culinary dishes, and even complete diets.

We welcome both original research articles and reviews that apply food processing or cooking techniques to investigate  foods quality characteristics. Clear and concise writing is strongly encouraged and greatly appreciated.

Prof. Dr. Sheng-Dun Lin
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • food technology
  • food processing
  • food cooking
  • functional food development
  • physicochemical quality characteristics
  • sensory quality characteristics (appearance, flavor, texture, overall)
  • antioxidant property
  • bioactive compound
  • functional properties evaluation

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3612 KB  
Article
Microwave Pretreatment of Peanuts Modulates Oil Body Emulsion Stability: Mechanism and Application as a Source Modification Strategy for Efficient Demulsification
by Nan Hai and Fusheng Chen
Foods 2026, 15(5), 951; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15050951 - 7 Mar 2026
Viewed by 481
Abstract
This study investigated microwave pretreatment (0–900 W) of peanuts as a source modification strategy to reduce the stability of peanut oil body emulsions (POBEs) and improve aqueous enzymatic extraction. Results indicated that higher power treatment (≥540 W) significantly destabilized POBE. The optimal condition [...] Read more.
This study investigated microwave pretreatment (0–900 W) of peanuts as a source modification strategy to reduce the stability of peanut oil body emulsions (POBEs) and improve aqueous enzymatic extraction. Results indicated that higher power treatment (≥540 W) significantly destabilized POBE. The optimal condition at 720 W increased POBE extraction yield and demulsification rate by 16.82% and 46.32%, respectively, compared with the control. This destabilization was attributed to marked changes in interfacial properties, including decreased apparent viscosity, lowered absolute ζ-potential (from 35.93 mV to 27.09 mV), increased particle size (from 1177.16 nm to 1976.98 nm), and the microstructure of droplet aggregation. Compositional analysis revealed that microwave treatment induced POBE reorganization, characterized by increased lipid and phospholipid contents alongside reduced moisture, solid, and protein levels. Further interfacial protein analysis revealed that exposure triggered protein conformational unfolding, hydrophobic group exposure, and subsequent aggregation, which weakened protein adsorption at the interface and reduced the mechanical strength of the interfacial film. These findings elucidate the mechanism of microwave-induced emulsion instability, providing a theoretical basis for enhancing oil extraction efficiency through raw material pretreatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Processing and Cooking on Physicochemical, Sensory, and Functional Properties of Food: 3rd Edition)
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19 pages, 4371 KB  
Article
Effects of Frying Temperature and Composite Spices on the Release Characteristics of Rapeseed Seasoning Oil
by Ailikemu Mulati, Yuting Yang, Xinmeng Huang, Yuanpeng Li, Aihemaitijiang Aihaiti, Jing Lu, Yuanyuan Hou and Jiayi Wang
Foods 2026, 15(4), 626; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15040626 - 9 Feb 2026
Viewed by 635
Abstract
In Chinese cuisine, seasoning oil enhances the aroma and appearance of dishes. This study examined how processing affects flavor release in multi-ingredient oils. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), relative odor activity value (ROAV), and variable importance projection (VIP) were used to assess flavor changes. [...] Read more.
In Chinese cuisine, seasoning oil enhances the aroma and appearance of dishes. This study examined how processing affects flavor release in multi-ingredient oils. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), relative odor activity value (ROAV), and variable importance projection (VIP) were used to assess flavor changes. Optimal frying was 160 °C for 15 min with 11% green Sichuan peppercorn, 3% ghost pepper, 6% green onion, 0.1% bay leaf, 0.2% deseeded tsaoko, 0.5% star anise, 0.3% fennel seeds, 1.5% dried Erjingtiao chili, 5% ginger, and 2.5% red Sichuan peppercorn. Gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyzed heating at 150 °C, 160 °C, and 170 °C. Temperature strongly influenced VOC formation; 160 °C produced the most diverse VOCs, including aldehydes, ketones, terpenes, esters, and alcohols. Multivariate analysis identified 73 key compounds (VIP > 1) between 150 and 160 °C, but only 39 between 160 and 170 °C, indicating that high heat reduces complexity. Compounds such as 2-methylpyrazine and (E)-2-heptenal contributed caramel, nutty, buttery notes, with 2-methoxy-3-(1-methylethyl)-pyrazine as the core aroma. Frying at 160 °C balanced sweet, floral, and roasted aromas, offering guidance for precise seasoning oil flavor control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Processing and Cooking on Physicochemical, Sensory, and Functional Properties of Food: 3rd Edition)
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27 pages, 1153 KB  
Article
Impact of Formulation on the Rheological, Textural, and Sensory Properties of Pistachio Spread
by Nazlı Feray Kılıç, Gülten Şekeroğlu and Ahmet Kaya
Foods 2025, 14(23), 4002; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14234002 - 22 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1421
Abstract
The effects of milk fat (4%, 7%, and 10%) and sugar (24%, 27%, and 30%) content on the physical and sensory properties of pistachio spread (PS) were assessed. Previously, pistachio pastes (PP) were prepared with three particle sizes (large, medium, and small). Small-sized [...] Read more.
The effects of milk fat (4%, 7%, and 10%) and sugar (24%, 27%, and 30%) content on the physical and sensory properties of pistachio spread (PS) were assessed. Previously, pistachio pastes (PP) were prepared with three particle sizes (large, medium, and small). Small-sized PP was used for nine PS formulations based on the above milk fat and sugar contents. Instrumental texture and color, rheological properties (20–45 °C), and oil separation (4 °C and 25 °C, 9 months of storage) were analyzed in PP and PS. Textural attributes were also evaluated sensorially in PS samples. The oil separation rate in samples stored for 9 months was <1% for PS (4 °C) and >2% for PP and PS (25 °C). The lightness was lower in large-sized PP and higher in PS samples with sugar and milk fat. All PP and PS samples exhibited non-Newtonian behavior with a yield stress. Firmness, spreadability, and adhesiveness were lower in PS samples containing only milk fat. In contrast, they were higher in PS samples containing only sugar. PS samples with 7% milk fat and 27% sugar scored highest for flavor, taste, and acceptability. This study provides the first systematic evaluation of how particle size, milk fat, and sucrose collectively influence the rheological and textural behavior of clean-label Boz Antep pistachio spreads, offering a solid scientific basis for optimizing additive-free nut-based formulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Processing and Cooking on Physicochemical, Sensory, and Functional Properties of Food: 3rd Edition)
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20 pages, 3719 KB  
Article
Effects of Indica Black Rice, Konjac Powder and Water on the Quality Characteristics of Gluten-Free Taichung Sen 17 Rice Bread
by Jin-Kuan Jiang, Shin-Yu Chen, Chih-Wei Yang, Hui-Shan Shen and Sheng-Dun Lin
Foods 2025, 14(22), 3831; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14223831 - 8 Nov 2025
Viewed by 1368
Abstract
Rice is a safe and widely consumed gluten-free grain; however, breads prepared from white rice flour, such as Taichung Sen 17 (TS17), are prone to rapid staling and typically lack sufficient dietary fiber and bioactive compounds. To address these limitations, this study investigated [...] Read more.
Rice is a safe and widely consumed gluten-free grain; however, breads prepared from white rice flour, such as Taichung Sen 17 (TS17), are prone to rapid staling and typically lack sufficient dietary fiber and bioactive compounds. To address these limitations, this study investigated the effects of partially replacing TS17 flour with indica black rice (B) flour, varying water content, and incorporating the natural hydrocolloid konjac glucomannan (K) on the quality of rice batter and bread. Compared with TS17 flour, B flour contained higher levels of total dietary fiber, total phenols, total anthocyanins, and antioxidant capacity. Substituting 15% of TS17 with B flour slightly increased the bread volume from 1032 mL to 1042 mL under 92% water addition (1.01-fold). More notably, it significantly increased the volume from 872 mL to 917 mL under 107% water (1.05-fold), and from 642 mL to 775 mL under 122% water (1.21-fold). However, higher substitution levels of B flour resulted in a reduction in loaf volume. Further incorporation of 2% K under 122% water conditions (TS17B15K2.0-122) resulted in the highest loaf volume of 1063 mL, representing a significant 1.37-fold increase compared to TS17B15-122 (775 mL), and exhibited the slowest staling rate after 24 h. Although K significantly improved bread texture and moisture retention, excessive addition may accelerate staling due to insufficient water availability in the formulation. These findings highlight that combining TS17 flour, B flour, and konjac gum represents a feasible and sustainable strategy for developing functional gluten-free baked products targeted at health-conscious and gluten-intolerant consumers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Processing and Cooking on Physicochemical, Sensory, and Functional Properties of Food: 3rd Edition)
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