Protein–Polyphenol–Dietary Fiber Interactions in Food Systems: Mechanisms, Processing Control, and Health Implications

Dear Colleagues,

Aims & Scope

Proteins, polyphenols, and dietary fibers coexist in most plant-based foods and jointly shape product quality, stability, sensory perception, and nutritional outcomes. Their interactions span noncovalent binding (hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, electrostatics, and π–π stacking), covalent coupling (oxidation- or enzyme-mediated crosslinking), and multiscale assembly into complexes, colloids, and gel networks. These interaction-driven structures can either enhance the stability and bioaccessibility of polyphenols and proteins or, conversely, reduce digestibility, impair texture, or modulate flavor.

This Special Issue focuses on protein–polyphenol–dietary fiber interactions as a unifying framework linking molecular mechanisms to processing-driven modulation, food matrix structuring, and digestion- and gut-mediated health implications. We welcome mechanistic studies, advanced characterization, and translational research in real food systems. Submissions that provide standardized interaction metrics, reproducible protocols, and clear structure–function relationships (including digestion kinetics and glycemic outcomes) are particularly encouraged.

Scope

• Mechanistic interaction studies: binding forces, affinity/stoichiometry, competitive binding, complexation/coacervation, precipitation, covalent vs. noncovalent coupling
• Multiscale structuring: colloids, emulsions/foams, Pickering systems, gel networks, phase behavior/compatibility windows
• Processing control: thermal treatments, extrusion, fermentation, enzymatic modification, high-pressure/ultrasound/microfluidization, storage stability and oxidation/browning pathways
• Digestion and gut outcomes: proteolysis and polyphenol release/biotransformation, structure–digestibility coupling, starch digestion/glycemic metrics, fiber fermentation/SCFAs, matrix-driven delivery
• Methods and standardization: reproducible workflows, multimodal characterization, reporting metrics, benchmark food models, data comparability

Introduction

Plant-based foods are inherently multicomponent systems, where proteins, polyphenols, and dietary fibers co-exist and jointly shape quality and nutrition. Rather than acting independently, these components form dynamic interaction networks—through hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, electrostatics, π–π stacking, and, under certain conditions, oxidation- or enzyme-mediated covalent coupling. The resulting assemblies (soluble complexes, coacervates, interfacial layers, and gel networks) often determine key product attributes such as viscoelasticity, water holding, emulsion/foam stability, astringency and flavor release, and shelf-life stability.

At the same time, interaction-driven structures can profoundly influence bioaccessibility and digestion. Polyphenols may be protected within protein–fiber matrices (improving stability) or trapped in insoluble complexes (reducing release). Proteins may become less digestible due to aggregation or polyphenol crosslinking, while fibers can create physical barriers that alter enzyme accessibility and diffusion. These effects can extend to starch digestion kinetics and glycemic response, and further downstream to colonic fermentation, where fiber-derived substrates and polyphenol metabolites may interact to modulate microbial ecology and short-chain fatty acid production.

Despite rapid growth in this field, progress is often limited by inconsistent models, nonstandard reporting, and insufficient separation of single vs. binary vs. ternary contributions. This Special Issue aims to consolidate advances by emphasizing (i) clear mechanistic evidence, (ii) processing-driven controllability, and (iii) structure–function–digestion linkages using reproducible, comparable methodologies.

Dr. Feiyue Ren
Prof. Dr. Lingxiao Gong
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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.

• protein–polyphenol interaction
• dietary fiber
• ternary complexes
• food matrix
• colloids
• gels
• emulsions
• processing
• bioaccessibility
• digestion kinetics
• glycemic response
• gut microbiota