Rise of Plant-Based Functional Foods

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: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 2622

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Aroma & Flavor Chemistry Department, Food Industries & Nutrition Division, National Research Center, El Behose Street, Dokki, Cairo 12622, Egypt
Interests: essential oils; microemulsions; emulsions; nanoemulsions hydrocolloides; spray drying; GC-MS analysis; dairy flavors; natural antimicrobials; encapsulation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There is a growing interest worldwide to replace animal-based food with plant-based food for different reasons. Vegetarians and vegans, for example, adopt a plant-based diet to show their compassion towards animals and demonstrate objection to the intensive rearing in factory farms, where animals receive a cruel treatment. In addition, a plant-based diet is far more sustainable, as we can feed more people with plant-based foods by reducing animal farming that consumes staple foods, such as grain. This is clearly illustrated by the fact that, for every 10 Kg of protein fed to animals in the form of grains, only 1 Kg of animal protein is produced. Moreover, from an environmental point of view, animal farming is a polluting business because livestock largely contribute to greenhouse phenomena that lead to global warning by producing large amounts of methane every day. These reasons, with even more to come in the future, are the driving force for the growing interest in plant-based foods as one of the solutions for the sustainability of people’s life on our planet.

Academia and scientific research should also be involved in this gradual transformation toward plant-based food. This can be achieved by developing functional plant-based diets that sustain health and promote wellbeing. There will be different challenges confronting food researchers during their endeavor. One challenge is related to the acceptability of plant-based functional diets from the view point of consumers who are much more interested in texture, flavor and mouth feel beside functionality. Therefore, this Special Issue is considered as a step ahead to the future of plant-based functional food research and development.

Prof. Dr. Amr Edris
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • plant-derived food
  • sustainability
  • functionality
  • acceptability
  • health effects

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 2419 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Elderberry Snack Bars: A Sensory, Nutritional, and Rheological Evaluation
by Ioana Mariana Haș, Dan-Cristian Vodnar, Alexa Florina Bungau, Alexandra Georgiana Tarce, Delia Mirela Tit and Bernadette-Emőke Teleky
Foods 2023, 12(19), 3544; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12193544 - 23 Sep 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1981
Abstract
Interest in functional foods is continuously increasing, having the potential to be an ally in reducing cardiometabolic risk factors. This study focuses on developing and evaluating oat- and millet-based snack bars enriched with freeze-dried elderberry powder (FDEBP), aiming to combine great taste with [...] Read more.
Interest in functional foods is continuously increasing, having the potential to be an ally in reducing cardiometabolic risk factors. This study focuses on developing and evaluating oat- and millet-based snack bars enriched with freeze-dried elderberry powder (FDEBP), aiming to combine great taste with enhanced nutritional value, antioxidant properties, and prebiotic potential. The research encompassed a sensory evaluation, nutritional assessment, and rheological analysis of the snack bars. A hedonic test was conducted to gauge consumer preferences and overall liking, providing insights into taste, texture, and acceptance. Sensory evaluation revealed positive feedback from participants, and acceptance rating scores ranged from 7 to 8.04, the best score recorded by one of the enhanced bars with 1% FDEBP. The rheological analysis determined the bars’ dynamic storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″), assessing the material’s elasticity and mechanical properties. Results showed that the incorporation of 0.5% and 1% FDEBP in the oat and millet snack bars significantly impacted their rheological properties, enhancing structural strength. Nutritional analysis demonstrated that the snack bars provided a complete mix of macronutrients required in a daily diet. The study sheds light on the potential of functional snack bars enriched with FDEBP, offering a delectable way to access essential nutrients and bioactive compounds in a minimally processed form, without the addition of sweeteners or additives, friendly to the gut microbiota. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rise of Plant-Based Functional Foods)
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