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Advances in Cereal and Cereal Product Chemistry, Nutrition and Technology:...
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Advances in Cereal and Cereal Product Chemistry, Nutrition and Technology: 3rd Edition

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Grain".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 2761

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jinshui Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: cereal chemistry; cereal products; cereal proteins; processing technology; wheat dough; gluten
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ying Liang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Biological Engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: cereal proteins; processing technology; nutritional functionality; instant noodles; gluten
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cereal, a special commodity with strategic significance, is an important part of the national security strategy and has significance for the stable development of the national economy. Cereal chemistry involves the study of the physical, physiological and biochemical properties; nutritional function; processing technology; and rational utilization of various cereals and cereal products. Research on cereal chemistry focuses on several aspects, including the external morphological characteristics of cereals; changes in the structural, physicochemical and biochemical properties of components during processing and storage; and the processing technology and nutritional functions of cereal products. Advances in research on cereal chemistry provide a theoretical basis for improving cereal quality, developing new cereal resources, evolving the storage and processing technology of cereal and cereal products, scientifically adjusting dietary structures, strengthening the quality control of cereal and cereal products and improving the level of raw material processing and the comprehensive utilization of cereals. This Special Issue welcomes all types of papers, including original research articles, reviews, brief communications and opinion pieces related to the knowledge and application of cereal and cereal product chemistry, nutrition and technology. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Jinshui Wang
Dr. Ying Liang
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 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

  • cereal chemistry
  • cereal proteins
  • nutritional functionality
  • processing technology
  • wheat dough

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2869 KB  
Article
Impact of Hydrogen-Enriched Solution Irrigation on Grain Yield and Nutritional Quality of Sweet Corn
by Hao Wang, Yuhao Wang, Ronghui Yu, Pengfei Cheng, Yan Zeng, Xu Cheng and Wenbiao Shen
Foods 2026, 15(11), 1847; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15111847 - 23 May 2026
Viewed by 130
Abstract
Simultaneously improving the yield and, in particular, the nutritional quality of sweet corn (Zea mays L. saccharata), one of the most important cereal fresh foods worldwide, remains a major challenge. Here, we demonstrated that compared to control groups, hydrogen-enriched water (HEW) [...] Read more.
Simultaneously improving the yield and, in particular, the nutritional quality of sweet corn (Zea mays L. saccharata), one of the most important cereal fresh foods worldwide, remains a major challenge. Here, we demonstrated that compared to control groups, hydrogen-enriched water (HEW) irrigation significantly improved agronomic performance, increasing kernel number (~10.55%) and ear length (~5.73%) while notably reducing barren tip length by about 60.73%. Regarding nutritional quality, HEW-treated kernels exhibited remarkable increases in soluble protein (~61.53%), total soluble sugars (~31.10%), vitamin C (~28.31%), total phenolics (~21.06%), and flavonoids (~40.56%). Micronutrients were also enhanced, such as zinc (~96.82%), iron (~51.70%), and manganese levels (~40.37%). HEW effectively modulated the expression of sugar metabolism-related genes. Specifically, the coordinated upregulation of key genes, such as ZmSUS1 (~3.8 fold), ZmINCW2 (~1.9 fold), and ZmHXK1 (~1.6 fold), might contribute to the enhanced accumulation of sucrose (~11.79%), glucose (~6.21%), and fructose (~26.50%). Starch biosynthesis was also promoted. The improved sugar–acid ratio indicated enhanced taste quality. Importantly, representative key antioxidant genes (ZmSOD2/4, ZmPOD1/2, and ZmCAT1/3) as well as corresponding enzymatic activities in kernels were stimulated, which was negatively associated with lipid peroxidation. Overall, these results indicate that HEW irrigation is a promising, eco-friendly strategy that can be efficiently used to improve sweet corn yield and nutritional value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Cereal and Cereal Product Chemistry, Nutrition and Technology: 3rd Edition)
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20 pages, 752 KB  
Article
Contribution of Protein, Starch, and Fiber Composition to the Prediction of Dough Rheology and Baking Quality in U.S. Hard Red Spring Wheat
by Yun Zhao, Emad Karrar, Jim Peterson and Shahidul Islam
Foods 2026, 15(4), 650; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15040650 - 11 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 860
Abstract
Wheat end-product quality results from complex interactions among protein, starch, and fiber, further complicated by genetic and environmental variability, especially in commercial samples composed of multiple varieties from diverse regions. Eighteen composite samples of hard red spring wheat (HRSW) were prepared from 755 [...] Read more.
Wheat end-product quality results from complex interactions among protein, starch, and fiber, further complicated by genetic and environmental variability, especially in commercial samples composed of multiple varieties from diverse regions. Eighteen composite samples of hard red spring wheat (HRSW) were prepared from 755 field samples to simulate commercial grain blending. These composites were analyzed to evaluate the influence of flour composition on product quality. A wide range of flour compositional properties was analyzed and associated with dough and end-product quality traits, as measured by GlutoPeak, Rapid Visco Analyzer, Farinograph, Extensograph, Alveograph, and loaf baking. The results indicated that dough and bread quality are not determined by protein or gluten content alone, but that protein, starch and fiber composition and structural variations play a crucial role. Flours with higher proportions of high-molecular-weight glutenin (HMW-GS) fractions, particularly those rich in Bx and Ax subunits, exhibited greater dough resistance, mixing strength, and bread volume. In contrast, lower-performing samples were characterized by reduced HMW/LMW, polymeric/monomeric protein ratios, and HMW-Bx content. Multivariate modeling showed strong predictive performance for loaf volume (R2 > 0.860) when protein, starch and fiber quality metrics were combined with protein content. These findings provide a data-driven framework for wheat flour classification and optimizing processing formulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Cereal and Cereal Product Chemistry, Nutrition and Technology: 3rd Edition)
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17 pages, 3550 KB  
Article
Auricularia auricula Polysaccharide Modulates Rheological, Thermal, and Structural Properties of Wheat Gluten via Selective Regulation of Glutenin and Gliadin
by Haowei Li, Jialu He, Yingxu Liu, Xiaolong Liu and Tingting Liu
Foods 2026, 15(1), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15010136 - 2 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 735
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of Auricularia auricula Polysaccharide (AAP) concentrations on the rheological and thermal properties of gluten and its subunit components. We used multiple techniques, including dynamic rheology, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), free thiol group analysis, and [...] Read more.
This study investigated the effects of Auricularia auricula Polysaccharide (AAP) concentrations on the rheological and thermal properties of gluten and its subunit components. We used multiple techniques, including dynamic rheology, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), free thiol group analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results revealed that AAP increased the storage (G′) and loss (G″) modulus of gluten, glutenin, and gliadin, promoting compact elastic protein networks. DSC and free thiol group analysis demonstrated that AAP enhanced thermal stability and disulfide bond cross-linking in gluten and glutenin, but reduced thermostability and inhibited disulfide formation in gliadin. Secondary structure analysis showed 31.93% and 17.72% increases in α-helix and β-sheet content, respectively, in glutenin at 8% AAP, thereby enhancing the orderliness of the gluten structure and improving structural rigidity, while reducing gliadin’s structural order. Microscopy confirmed AAP narrowed gluten matrix pores, forming uniform honeycomb structures (though high concentrations caused disruption). In summary, AAP primarily stabilizes gluten conformation by modulating glutenin structure, thereby enhancing rheological and thermal properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Cereal and Cereal Product Chemistry, Nutrition and Technology: 3rd Edition)
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12 pages, 3376 KB  
Article
Extraction and Functional Properties of Crude Prolamin from Amaranth
by Yujun Dong, Xiaojun Hu, Yajuan Wang and Li He
Foods 2025, 14(22), 3926; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14223926 - 17 Nov 2025
Viewed by 630
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the structural, functional and morphological characterizations of ultrasonic-assisted extraction of crude prolamin from amaranth grain (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.). A Box–Behnken design of response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the extraction parameters. The [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the structural, functional and morphological characterizations of ultrasonic-assisted extraction of crude prolamin from amaranth grain (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.). A Box–Behnken design of response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the extraction parameters. The optimal extraction parameters included a solid/solvent ratio of 1:9 (g:mL), with 50% ethanol solution at 75 °C. Regarding the physicochemical characteristics, amaranth crude prolamin (ACP) possessed more orderly secondary structures (the proportions of α-helix and β-sheet were 43.65% and 25.52%, respectively), which is favorable for improving the object-holding capacity, such as higher oil- and water-holding capacity. The higher surface hydrophobicity of ACP was beneficial for self-assembly into microspheres at high ethanol concentrations. In general, ACP had a wider molecular weight distribution, higher zeta-potential and better emulsifying capacity (3.91 g VE/g prolamin). Thus, these results provide useful insight into the applications of amaranth prolamin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Cereal and Cereal Product Chemistry, Nutrition and Technology: 3rd Edition)
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