Exploring Natural Antimicrobials and Antioxidants: Mechanisms and Applications in Enhancing Food Quality and Safety
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Quality and Safety".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2026 | Viewed by 14
Special Issue Editors
Interests: bioactive impregnation; food preservation; functional foods; mathematical modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: edible films; food quality; food safety; functional foods; shelf-life extension
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue focuses on recent advances in the discovery, characterization, and application of natural antimicrobials and antioxidants as sustainable solutions for improving food quality, safety, and shelf life. With growing consumer demand for clean-label and chemical-free products, researchers and industry alike are turning to bioactive compounds derived from plants, microorganisms, and marine sources.
This Issue highlights the mechanistic insights into how natural compounds inhibit microbial growth and oxidative degradation, emphasizing molecular interactions, synergistic effects, and modes of action at cellular and biochemical levels. Contributions explore diverse application strategies, including incorporation into edible coatings and films, impregnation techniques for the enrichment of food matrices, and nanoencapsulation for enhanced stability and controlled release. Studies also address the integration of natural antimicrobials and antioxidants into packaging systems and food formulations, as well as the influence of processing technologies—such as drying, fermentation, and thermal treatments—on their stability, bioactivity, and functional performance.
Furthermore, the Issue discusses technological, regulatory, and sensory challenges associated with implementing natural preservatives in real-world food systems. Case studies demonstrate their effectiveness in extending shelf life, maintaining nutritional value, and ensuring microbial safety in various food matrices.
Overall, this Special Issue provides a multidisciplinary platform that bridges food chemistry, microbiology, and technology, advancing the development of natural, safe, and effective preservation strategies that align with global trends toward sustainable and health-oriented food production.
Prof. Dr. Irving Israel Ruiz-López
Prof. Dr. Carlos Enrique Ochoa Velasco
Prof. Dr. Genaro Gustavo Amador Espejo
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 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
- natural antimicrobials
- natural antioxidants
- food preservation
- food safety
- food quality
- functional foods
- bioactive compounds
- edible coatings and films
- processing effects
- shelf-life extension
- sustainable food systems
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