Advanced Technologies and Applications for Processing, Preservation, Quality Monitoring, and Computational Modeling of Agri-Food Products

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 September 2025 | Viewed by 587

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Interests: food microwave processing; food processing and storage; quality control; microwavable food packaging materials; food 3D printing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
Interests: microwave heating/drying; food packaging structures or materials design; cereal product value-added processing; computer simulation; multi-physics field modeling; food 3D printing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
College of Engineering and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Interests: optical inspection technology and equipment for agri-food products; near-infrared spectroscopy; laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy; interaction mechanism between light and matter; optical detection of multi-source spectral information fusion
School of Agricultural Engineering and Food Science, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, China
Interests: microwave heating/drying; computer modeling; food preservation; quality assessment of food processing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global demand for safe, nutritious and sustainable food continues to grow in the face of challenges such as population growth, climate change, and resource constraints. To address these challenges, innovative techniques in food processing, preservation, quality assessment, predictive modeling, and artificial intelligence (AI) technology are critical for enhancing efficiency, reducing waste, improving quality, and ensuring food security. This Special Issue focuses on cutting-edge advancements in these areas, including novel processing methods, intelligent preservation systems, rapid quality detection tools (e.g., biosensors, optical detection), and numerical modeling approaches (e.g., machine learning, computer simulation, and AI-assisted predictive modeling) tailored for agri-food systems.

For this reason, a Special Issue of Foods is being released. This collection will bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical applications, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among food scientists, engineers, and data analysts. Contributions may explore topics such as optimizing processing parameters, extending shelf life, real-time quality monitoring, and simulating complex food matrices. By highlighting innovations in these domains, this Special Issue will advance sustainable practices, improve food safety, and support the development of smart, data-driven solutions for the agri-food industry. Researchers are invited to submit original studies, reviews, or case studies that align with these themes, ultimately contributing to the global transformation of food systems.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Emerging food processing technologies, e.g., microwave, radio frequency, ultra-high pressure, food 3D printing, cold plasma, and ultrasound-assisted techniques for pesticide degradation and microbial inactivation, etc.;
  • Novel food preservation technologies, e.g., edible coatings and biodegradable packaging solutions to extend shelf-life of perishable foods;
  • Quality monitoring technologies, e.g., optical detection and IoT-enabled sensors to evaluate freshness, maturity, physicochemical properties, and real-time food safety detection, etc.;
  • Evaluation of food processing methods (heating, drying, puffing, extraction, etc.) on food nutritional components and final product quality;
  • Numerical modeling methods for improving food processing performance, e.g., computer simulation, AI-driven numerical modeling;
  • The application of emerging AI technologies in food processing,g., machine learning, AI-assisted food processing strategy, etc.

This Special Issue, entitled “Advanced Technologies and Applications for Processing, Preservation, Quality Monitoring, and Computational Modeling of Agri-food Products”, will include a selection of recent research and current review articles about food processing, preservation, quality monitoring, and computational modeling.

Prof. Dr. Xianzhe Zheng
Dr. Liuyang Shen
Dr. Bing Lu
Dr. Dianbin Su
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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 processing
  • food preservation
  • quality assessment
  • computational modeling
  • AI-assisted food processing strategy

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2379 KiB  
Article
Effect of Pulsed Electric Field Pretreatment on the Texture and Flavor of Air-Dried Duck Meat
by Ning Zhang, Zihang Shi, Yangyang Hu, Yangying Sun, Changyu Zhou, Qiang Xia, Jun He, Hongbing Yan, Hui Yu and Daodong Pan
Foods 2025, 14(11), 1891; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14111891 - 26 May 2025
Viewed by 111
Abstract
Pulsed electric field (PEF), a novel non-thermal processing technology, shows great potential in meat processing by regulating macromolecule metabolism and food quality. This study examined the effects of PEF pretreatment at varying electric field strengths (1, 2, and 3 kV/cm) and durations (30, [...] Read more.
Pulsed electric field (PEF), a novel non-thermal processing technology, shows great potential in meat processing by regulating macromolecule metabolism and food quality. This study examined the effects of PEF pretreatment at varying electric field strengths (1, 2, and 3 kV/cm) and durations (30, 60, and 90 s) on the color, texture, moisture distribution, free amino acids, and flavor compounds in air-dried duck meat. PEF pretreatment significantly increased brightness (p < 0.05), while PEF treatment (3 kV/cm, 30 s) improved the textural properties of air-dried duck meat, reducing chewiness and hardness by 65.44% and 59.97%, respectively. It promoted myofibril disruption and vacuolization, reducing water mobility and improving moisture retention. Enhanced endogenous enzyme activity under PEF facilitated protein degradation, boosting total free amino acid content, particularly umami and sweet amino acids (glutamic acid, alanine). PEF pretreatment also elevated key aroma compounds, such as hexanal, methyl caprate, and 4-methyl valerate, improving the flavor profile of air-dried duck meat. This study provides technical support for integrating PEF technology into traditional poultry processing. Full article
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18 pages, 5407 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of 3D Printing of Cereal–Legume Starch-Based Gels Formulated with Red Adzuki Bean and Germinated Brown Rice Flour
by Ran Liu, Yu Zhuang, Jiakai Song, Liuyang Shen and Yanling Yin
Foods 2025, 14(10), 1791; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14101791 - 18 May 2025
Viewed by 271
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) food printing (3DFP) is an emerging technology that enables the creation of personalized and functional foods by precisely controlling nutritional content and shape. This study investigated the 3D printability and rheological behavior of cereal–legume starch-based gels formulated with germinated brown rice [...] Read more.
Three-dimensional (3D) food printing (3DFP) is an emerging technology that enables the creation of personalized and functional foods by precisely controlling nutritional content and shape. This study investigated the 3D printability and rheological behavior of cereal–legume starch-based gels formulated with germinated brown rice (GBR) and red adzuki bean (RAB) flours, supplemented with xanthan and guar gums as functional additives. The physicochemical and structural properties of the gels were characterized through FT-IR, rheology, texture analysis, SEM, and sensory evaluation. In addition, the 3D printing fidelity, rheological behavior, color attributes, textural properties, microstructure, and sensory scoring of the printed products were evaluated. The results indicated that the gels exhibited pseudoplastic behavior, with the RABF/GBRF ratio of 1:2 (RG1:2) formulation showing optimal color properties (ΔE* = 0.60 ± 0.86) and the RABF/GBRF ratio of 2:1 (RG2:1) formulation demonstrating superior printing fidelity and structural stability (printing accuracy = 99.37 ± 0.39%). The gels’ mechanical properties, such as hardness and chewiness, were significantly influenced by the RABF and GBRF ratios, with RG2:1 exhibiting the highest hardness (1066.74 ± 102.09) and RG1:2 showing the best springiness (0.64 ± 0.10). The sensory evaluation results indicated that the RABF/GBRF ratios of 1:1 (RG1:1) and RG1:2 had relatively high overall acceptance scores. These findings indicate that specific ratios of RABF and GBRF improve the 3D printability and textural properties of cereal–legume starch-based gels, enhancing their suitability for 3D food printing applications. This study provides valuable insights into the development of personalized and functional cereal–legume starch-based foods using 3DFP technology. Full article
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