Food-Derived Polysaccharides: Their Structure, Characterization and Functional Properties: 2nd Edition
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026
Special Issue Editor
Interests: NMR relaxation, NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, polysaccharides structure and hydration properties, gluten-free pasta properties, dairy product, tea infusion
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue will be devoted to a comprehensive exploration of polysaccharides as food ingredients, highlighting their structure, characteristics and multifaceted functional properties. Polysaccharides are key macromolecules in food systems, valued not only for their nutritional roles but also for their technological functionalities that influence the texture, stability, and shelf-life of food products.
This Special Issue will focus on several main topics, including the structural characterisation of food polysaccharides using advanced analytical methods (e.g. NMR, FTIR, XRD, SEC-MALS), their physicochemical behaviour in different food matrices, and the mechanisms of their interaction with proteins, lipids and other food components. Particular emphasis will be placed on the technological applications of polysaccharides, especially their ability to act as thickeners, stabilisers, gelling agents and emulsifiers—functions that are crucial in the creation of novel and functional foods.
Furthermore, contributions will address new strategies for the extraction, purification, and chemical or enzymatic modification of polysaccharides, especially those obtained from agricultural and food industry by-products. This approach not only increases the value of by-products in food production but also supports the development of sustainable ingredients with tailored properties.
Authors are encouraged to submit original research that explores topics including, but not limited to, the following:
- Molecular structure and conformational analysis of polysaccharides;
- Functional properties in food systems: rheology, water holding, emulsifying and gelling capacity;
- Structure–function relationships;
- Interactions with proteins and other compounds;
- Extraction and purification technologies;
- Modification methods (chemical, enzymatic, physical);
- Applications in food product development and reformulation;
- Valorisation of by-products as polysaccharide sources.
This Special Issue aims to bring together recent developments that contribute to a deeper understanding of the role and potential of food-derived polysaccharides in modern food science and technology.
Prof. Dr. Magdalena Witek
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 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
- food polysaccharides
- structural characterization
- functional properties
- physico-chemical properties
- rheology
- gelation and emulsification
- stabilization
- extraction and modification of polysaccharides
- polysaccharide–protein interactions
- by-product valorisation
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