Food Proteins and Bioactive Peptides: Novel Sources, Characteristics and Applications—Second Edition

Dear Colleagues,

Volume I of this Special Issue (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/foods/special_issues/Food_Proteins_Bioactive_Peptides) was a great success and gained the interest of many scholars. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their contributions and support. As the topic continues to gain attention and play a pivotal role, we are looking to launch Volume II. We hope it will be as successful as Volume I and benefit the field.

The world population is predicted to reach 9.7 billion people by 2050, with the expectation of a high demand for protein for consumption. Protein is an important nutrient in the body’s growth and the biological functions through which bioactive peptides are derived from a protein means that they often possess higher bioactivity, e.g., antioxidant, antihypertensive, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory activity, than their parent protein. Protein also plays a critical role in maintaining the functional properties of food products, e.g., emulsifying, foaming, and water binding. Traditionally, proteins that originate from animal sources such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and milk have been the main proteins in human diets. A shift towards plant-based proteins has occurred, as these have emerged as an acceptable alternative protein source for human consumption. Plant protein is viewed as a natural, eco-friendly, and sustainable food source and can also lead to health benefits such as weight loss, satiety, and a lowered glycaemic index. For these reasons, there is renewed interest in plant protein as a food ingredient that can complement and, in some cases, replace animal-based protein. However, plant proteins often lack one or more essential amino acids which the human body requires for protein biosynthesis. In addition, the poor functional properties of some plant proteins, e.g., their solubility and water-holding capacity, make them difficult to incorporate into many food applications regardless of their high fibre and antioxidant content. Animal-based protein, on the other hand, remains a vital part of the food market due to its high essential amino acid content, biological value, and functional properties, despite some adverse health claims, e.g., the risk of bowel cancer and dairy allergies. Adequate nutrition can be achieved with purely plant-based diets; however, only with greater awareness in the plant types chosen (e.g., combined cereal and pulses), especially for those who are allergic or sensitive to some plant proteins (e.g., vicilin and legumin in soybeans, peanuts, and tree nuts). This Special Issue aims to highlight novel protein sources on the market and approaches to improving the properties and nutritional qualities of current and new protein sources, such as their digestibility and bioactivity. We are also interested in combining plant and animal proteins, which has the potential to be a future trend in protein consumption. In addition, we hope to address challenges occurring in plant protein production and the utilisation of plant protein in food applications in this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Hilton Deeth
Dr. Thao Le
Guest Editors

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• bioactive peptides
• plant-based proteins
• animal-based proteins
• nutritional quality
• functional properties