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Plant-Based Functional Foods and Innovative Production Technologies
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Plant-Based Functional Foods and Innovative Production Technologies

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 830

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Taiwo O. Akanbi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Environmental and Life Sciences, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, The University of Newcastle (UON), Brush Road, Ourimbah, NSW 2258, Australia
Interests: food bioprocessing; encapsulation for nutrient delivery; food waste valorisation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues，

The exploration of plant-based functional foods has been a hot research topic in the field of food science. The development of nutritious and health-promoting plant-derived products is the main topic of this Special Issue, from the discovery of novel plant bioactive compounds to the application of cutting-edge food processing techniques. Our goal is to enhance the nutritional profile of foods, cater to dietary preferences, and address global health concerns such as obesity and chronic diseases. Innovations in this area include the use of high-pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, and biofortification to improve food safety and nutrient retention. Additionally, there is a growing interest in the development of plant-based alternatives to traditional animal products, such as meat and dairy, which not only offer environmental benefits, but also align with the increasing demand for sustainable and ethical food choices. This Special Issue aims to bring together the latest scientific findings and technological advancements in the creation and production of plant-based functional foods, highlighting their potential to transform the food industry and contribute to a healthier global population.

I would like to invite you to submit high-quality original research, review articles, and opinions that are within the scope of this Special Issue and that are related, but not limited, to the aforementioned topics.

Dr. Taiwo O. Akanbi
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 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

  • plant foods
  • functional foods
  • health-promoting effects
  • food processing
  • meat alternatives
  • plant-based meat analogues
  • sustainable foods
  • production technologies
  • enzyme-catalysed processing
  • food fortification with plant-based bioactives

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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18 pages, 4753 KiB  
Article
Designing Plant-Based Foods: Biopolymer Gelation for Enhanced Texture and Functionality
by Luísa Ozorio, Aline Beatriz Soares Passerini, Ana Paula Corradi da Silva, Anna Rafaela Cavalcante Braga and Fabiana Perrechil
Foods 2025, 14(9), 1645; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14091645 - 7 May 2025
Viewed by 138
Abstract
Despite the wide variety of plant-based products, developing high-protein products with a desirable texture remains a key challenge for the food industry. Polysaccharide and plant-protein gels offer a cost-effective strategy for meeting the growing demands of vegan and vegetarian markets. This study aimed [...] Read more.
Despite the wide variety of plant-based products, developing high-protein products with a desirable texture remains a key challenge for the food industry. Polysaccharide and plant-protein gels offer a cost-effective strategy for meeting the growing demands of vegan and vegetarian markets. This study aimed to develop mixed pea protein–polysaccharide gels with tailored textural properties for plant-based products. The gels were prepared using pea protein and different polysaccharides, including low-acyl gellan gum (GGLA), carrageenan (CA), pectin (PEC), and high-acyl gellan gum (GGHA), along with 60 mM NaCl or CaCl2. The dispersions were heated to 80 °C for 30 min under mechanical stirring, followed by a pH adjustment to 7.0 with NaOH (0.1 M). The samples were then analyzed via oscillatory temperature sweep rheometry, confocal microscopy, and uniaxial compression. Self-supporting and non-self-supporting gels were obtained from the various formulations, comprising pure polysaccharide and mixed gels with diverse textures for food applications. The developed gels show a strong potential for use in meat analogs, cheeses, cream cheeses, and sauces, offering the flexibility to fine-tune their mechanical and sensory properties based on the product requirements. Combining biopolymers enables customized texture and functionality, addressing critical gaps in plant-based food innovation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Based Functional Foods and Innovative Production Technologies)
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15 pages, 261 KiB  
Article
A Comprehensive Polyphenolic Characterization of Five Montmorency Tart Cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) Product Formulations
by Muhammad Jawad, Stephen T. Talcott, Angela R. Hillman and Robert G. Brannan
Foods 2025, 14(7), 1154; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071154 - 26 Mar 2025
Viewed by 553
Abstract
The Montmorency tart cherry (Prunus cerasus L., MTC) polyphenols may contribute to reduced inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers in the body. However, a comprehensive polyphenolic profile of MTC products is lacking. This study provides a comparative analysis of the polyphenolic distribution of [...] Read more.
The Montmorency tart cherry (Prunus cerasus L., MTC) polyphenols may contribute to reduced inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers in the body. However, a comprehensive polyphenolic profile of MTC products is lacking. This study provides a comparative analysis of the polyphenolic distribution of individual anthocyanins, flavonols, flavanols, hydroxycinnamic acids, and hydroxybenzoic acids in five MTC products (frozen raw fruit, freeze-dried powder, sweet dried fruit, unsweetened dried fruit, juice concentrate). Twenty-three polyphenols were detected, and 21 were positively identified. Results from three replicates indicate that frozen raw MTC has the most total polyphenolics. Juice concentrate, unsweetened dried MTC, freeze-dried MTC powder, and sweet dried MTC contained 26%, 40%, 60%, and 77% fewer total polyphenolics than frozen raw MTC. Hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonols, and anthocyanins predominated, accounting for 87–99% of total polyphenols in MTC products. Chlorogenic acid, rutin, cyanidin-3-sophoroside, feruloquinic acid, ferulic acid, and coumaric acid isomers were noteworthy polyphenolics. Hydroxycinnamic acids predominated in sweet dried (82%), unsweetened dried (74%), juice concentrate (66%), and frozen-raw (54%) MTC. Flavonols predominated in freeze-dried MTC powder (52%). Anthocyanins, particularly cyanidin glycosides, were important polyphenolics in frozen-raw cherries (18%) but less so in other MTC products. These findings highlight the variability in polyphenols in MTC products and emphasize the importance of selecting appropriate MTC products for specific health benefits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Based Functional Foods and Innovative Production Technologies)
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