Production and Functional Evaluation of Food-Derived Polysaccharides and Oligosaccharides
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Physics and (Bio)Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 16 July 2026 | Viewed by 1060
Special Issue Editors
Interests: structure/function of polysaccharides; Maillard reaction; regulation of dietary fiber in starch digestion and absorption; chitosan-based food packaging films; chitosan-based nano-delivery materials; delivery of active ingredients; structure and function of proteins during processing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: structure/function of polysaccharides; regulation of starch digestion and absorption; delivery of active ingredients; dietary fiber-mediated regulation of starch digestion and absorption; encapsulation of active ingredients; Maillard reaction and glycation; protein–polysaccharide interactions
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Food-derived polysaccharides and oligosaccharides have emerged as key bioactive components in modern food science due to their diverse structures, functional versatility and potential to support the development of healthier and more sustainable food systems. Advances in extraction, enzymatic modification and biotransformation technologies have expanded the pathways for producing tailored carbohydrate polymers with enhanced physicochemical and biological properties. These molecules play crucial roles in regulating food texture, stabilizing colloidal systems, modulating starch digestion and interacting with proteins and other nutrients during processing. Despite significant progress, challenges remain in establishing clear structure–function relationships, achieving precise and efficient production and conducting comprehensive functional evaluations. Variability introduced by processing and the intrinsic complexity of polysaccharide structures further complicate scientific and industrial applications. Therefore, innovative analytical tools, green processing technologies and mechanistic studies are urgently needed. This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in the production, characterization, modification and functional assessment of food-derived polysaccharides and oligosaccharides. We hope that contributions from the scientific community will deepen our understanding of these essential biopolymers and drive forward their application in functional foods and advanced food technologies.
Dr. Tao Sun
Guest Editor
Dr. Yi Zhang
Guest Editor Assistant
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
- polysaccharides
- oligosaccharides
- extraction and purification
- modification and characterization
- functional evaluation
- application
- encapsulation
- film
- Maillard reaction
- dietary fiber functionality
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