Recent Advances in Food Protein and Alternative Protein: Properties, Benefits, and Applications
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Nutrition".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 January 2026) | Viewed by 2325
Special Issue Editor
Interests: protein modification; protein functionality; muscle foods; freezing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Physicochemical modifications of food proteins can occur during the whole processing chain, from primary production to intestinal digestion. Recently, accumulated evidence suggests that protein modification in food systems could have a significant impact on food quality and human health. Protein modification can be initiated by different mechanisms, which may induce different changes in the physicochemical properties of proteins and, hence, the different outcomes in functionality. Most food is a complex matrix. Due to the complex interactions between proteins and this food matrix, the relationship between protein modification and protein functionality can be quite different compared to those derived from model systems. In recent years, alternative protein sources, such as plant-based protein, insect protein, microbial protein, etc., have gained increased popularity in human foods. These novel protein sources require further research to understand the chemistry of protein modification and its consequences on protein functionality and food quality. Original research and review articles regarding the abovementioned aspects are welcome.
Prof. Dr. Yulong Bao
Guest Editor
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
- protein modification
- protein functionality
- food quality
- alternative food proteins
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
