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The 5th International Electronic Conference on Foods—"The Future of Technology,...
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The 5th International Electronic Conference on Foods—"The Future of Technology, Sustainability, and Nutrition in the Food Domain" (Foods2024)

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 24 October 2025 | Viewed by 7147

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Arun K. Bhunia

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Guest Editor
Department of Food Science, Department of Comparative Pathobiology (Courtesy), Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
Interests: microbiology; pathogenesis; host–pathogen interaction; nanobiotechnology; food safety; probiotics and gut health
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Dr. Manuel Viuda-Martos

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Guest Editor
Agrofood Technology Department, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO-UMH), Miguel Hernández University, 03312 Orihuela, Alicante, Spain
Interests: essential oils; food chemistry; bioactive compounds; use of natural inhibitors (antioxidants and antimicrobials) to increase the shelf life of food; valorization of agrofood industry coproducts; development of new functional food products; meat product innovation
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Prof. Dr. Moktar Hamdi

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Guest Editor
National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, Biochemical Engineering Department, University Carthage, BP 676, CEDEX, Tunis 1080, Tunisia
Interests: food microbiology; microbial technology; fruits and vegetables fermentation; food safety and security; food wastes
Prof. Dr. Mohsen Gavahian

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Guest Editor
Department of Food Science, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, 1, Shuefu Road, Neipu, Taiwan
Interests: emerging food processing technologies; extraction; ohmic heating; ultrasound; cold plasma; bioactive compounds; waste valorization
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Prof. Dr. Antonello Santini

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Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Napoli, Italy
Interests: food chemistry; safety; food safety; food supplements and functional foods; nutraceuticals; sustainability; novel foods; nano-nutraceuticals; recovery from byproducts of the agri-food area; formulation and assessing of novel nutraceuticals; food contaminants; contaminants; risk assessment; mycotoxins and secondary metabolites; chemistry and food education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Theodoros Varzakas

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Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Peloponnese, 24100 Antikalamos, Greece
Interests: food technology; food engineering; food safety; food quality; extra virgin olive oil; mycotoxins; fermented foods
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Dr. Antonio Bevilacqua

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Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences (SAFE), University of Foggia, Via Napoli 25, 71100 Foggia, Italy
Interests: food microbiology; foodborne pathogens; food safety; food preservation; probiotics; predictive microbiology
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Dr. Joana S. Amaral

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CIMO, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
Interests: food authenticity; food chemistry; molecular biology approaches applied to food authentication and GMO detection; plant food supplements; bioactive compounds; antioxidant activity; antimicrobial activity; chromatography; development of analytical methods
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Dr. Susana Casal

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REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Bromatology and Hydrology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
Interests: analytical methods; food lipids; food technology; food authenticity; food safety; food waste
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Prof. Dr. Vicente M. Gómez-López

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FEnBeT Research Group, UCAM-Universidad Católica de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
Interests: food science; bioactive molecules; active packaging; water decontamination
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Dr. Saji George

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Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Rd, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X3V9, Canada
Interests: nanotechnology for food and agriculture
Prof. Dr. Igor Tomasevic

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Guest Editor
1. Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia
2. German Institute of Food Technologies (DIL), 49610 Quakenbrück, Germany
Interests: food technology; food safety; food quality; meat science; protein; gel
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Dr. Yonghui Li

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Guest Editor
Department of Grain Science and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
Interests: bakery science and chemistry; functional grain foods; grain protein chemistry, modification, and functionality; grain-derived bioactive compounds and peptides
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We sincerely appreciate all scholars for their participation in the last four international e-conferences of Foods since 2021. Once again, Foods is delighted to host the 5th Electronic Conference—The Future of Technology, Sustainability, and Nutrition in the Food Domain, in a virtual format on October 28–30, 2024. The conference will focus on critical themes such as cutting-edge food science and technology, nutritional health, and research to promote sustainable technological innovation in the food domain and address the challenges posed by food safety, food security, and nutritional/dietary demands.

The future of the food industry faces many challenges in a fast-paced world, including the disruptiveness of new technologies, the fragility of ecosystems, the instability of economies, and the reflection of humanity's higher demands for nutritional health and food safety.

Food sustainability is paramount in the future, so nutrition-oriented dietary needs have gradually led to nutritional trends, food cultures, and food policies. This transformational change in nutrition-oriented food sustainability requires innovative food science and emerging food technologies as the key to development in the food industry. Emerging food technologies can help materialize the fast-paced changing transitions in food processing, food production systems, food demand, food waste management, etc. Such technologies are taking shape in the food industry through digitized food science, such as Big Data, the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, Drones, new physical systems, and Genetic Technologies.

As a multidisciplinary, cross-fertilized field, the future of food science should be centered on emerging technologies oriented toward nutrition and sustainability. Combined with digital food science, the interaction between food nutrition and sustainability should be a priority. Therefore, we would like this Conference to focus on the following sections:

Session 1: Innovation in Food Technology and Engineering
Session 2: Food Nutrition and Functional Foods
Session 3: Sustainable Food Security and Food Systems
Session 4: Food Microbiology
Session 5: Chemistry and Physicochemical Properties of Foods
Session 6: Emerging Methods of Food Analysis
Session 7: Novel Preservation and Packaging Technologies
Session 8: Food Quality and Safety
Session 9: Food Cultures, Policy and Consumer Science
Session 10: Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning in The Food Industry

On behalf of the Organizing Committee, we cordially invite you to join us at the 5th International Electronic Conference on Foods.

We look forward to your contributions.

Sincerely,

Prof. Dr. Arun K. Bhunia
Dr. Manuel Viuda-Martos
Prof. Dr. Moktar Hamdi
Prof. Dr. Mohsen Gavahian
Prof. Dr. Antonello Santini
Prof. Dr. Theodoros Varzakas
Dr. Antonio Bevilacqua
Dr. Joana S. Amaral
Dr. Susana Casal
Prof. Dr. Vicente M. Gómez-López
Dr. Saji George
Prof. Dr. Igor Tomasevic
Dr. Yonghui Li
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

  • innovation in food technology and engineering
  • food nutrition and functional foods
  • sustainable food security and food systems
  • food microbiology
  • chemistry and physicochemical properties of foods
  • emerging methods of food analysis
  • novel preservation and packaging technologies
  • food quality and safety
  • food cultures, policy and consumer science
  • application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in the food industry

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 711 KiB  
Article
Acrylamide- and Hydroxymethylfurfural-Forming Capacity of Alternative Flours in Heated Dough Systems
by Marta Mesias and Francisco J. Morales
Foods 2025, 14(9), 1597; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14091597 - 30 Apr 2025
Viewed by 104
Abstract
The use of alternative flours is becoming more common in the food industry to enhance the nutritional and sensory properties of baked goods. However, these changes may also affect the formation of acrylamide, a potentially carcinogenic and genotoxic compound generated in foods heated [...] Read more.
The use of alternative flours is becoming more common in the food industry to enhance the nutritional and sensory properties of baked goods. However, these changes may also affect the formation of acrylamide, a potentially carcinogenic and genotoxic compound generated in foods heated above 120 °C. This study evaluated the acrylamide-forming potential of 16 flours from cereals, pseudocereals, legumes, fruits, and roots. Samples were analyzed for acrylamide precursors—reducing sugars and free asparagine—and tested in model dough systems with and without added glucose. All samples were baked at 150 °C for 30 min. Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) was also determined as a marker of thermal damage. In water-hydrated systems, acrylamide was only detected in wheat, rye, and coconut flours (23–61 µg/kg). When glucose was added, acrylamide levels increased in all systems except cassava. Lentil flour produced the highest levels (154 µg/kg), while corn flour showed the lowest (20 µg/kg). HMF levels followed a similar trend, with lentil flour again showing the highest content (232.3 mg/kg). These results highlight the importance of evaluating acrylamide formation when using non-wheat flours, especially in formulations containing sugars. Additional mitigation strategies may be needed to ensure the safety of these innovative food products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 5th International Electronic Conference on Foods—"The Future of Technology, Sustainability, and Nutrition in the Food Domain" (Foods2024))
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35 pages, 4044 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Food Security in Romania and Neighboring Countries—Trends, Challenges, and Solutions
by Teodor Ioan Trasca, Ioana Mihaela Balan, Gina Fintineru, Jeni Veronica Tiu, Nicoleta Mateoc-Sirb and Ciprian Ioan Rujescu
Foods 2025, 14(8), 1309; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14081309 - 9 Apr 2025
Viewed by 441
Abstract
Food security is a fundamental global challenge with significant regional implications, particularly in Eastern Europe. Romania and its neighboring countries—Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, Ukraine, and Moldova—face interconnected challenges related to food availability, access, stability, and utilization. This study assesses Romania’s food security in relation [...] Read more.
Food security is a fundamental global challenge with significant regional implications, particularly in Eastern Europe. Romania and its neighboring countries—Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, Ukraine, and Moldova—face interconnected challenges related to food availability, access, stability, and utilization. This study assesses Romania’s food security in relation to its neighbors using FAO-defined indicators for each of these four pillars. The analysis is based on the latest FAO data. It applies two complementary analytical methods: comparative analysis, which evaluates Romania’s food security indicators in relation to average values in neighboring countries, and statistical significance testing, using One-sample t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests to determine whether the observed differences are statistically significant. The results indicate that Romania benefits from high food availability and a developed irrigation infrastructure but faces challenges related to severe food insecurity, economic disparities, and public health issues such as obesity. Despite a higher GDP per capita than its neighbors, food insecurity rates remain concerning, pointing to underlying socio-economic inequalities. The results highlight the need for coordinated public policies that go beyond increasing food availability to reducing regional disparities, improving equitable access to nutritious food, and promoting sustainable patterns of production and consumption. The study proposes a multidimensional and scientifically sound approach that addresses structural inequalities, strengthening the resilience of food systems and the importance of regional cooperation in Eastern Europe. These contributions add to the current international discussions on sustainable food security and provide concrete recommendations for future action. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 5th International Electronic Conference on Foods—"The Future of Technology, Sustainability, and Nutrition in the Food Domain" (Foods2024))
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16 pages, 5931 KiB  
Article
Investigation and Determination of Kinetic Parameters of Sweeteners Based on Steviol Glycosides by Isoconversional Methods
by Naienne da Silva Santana, Sergio Neves Monteiro, Tatiana Carestiato da Silva and Michelle Gonçalves Mothé
Foods 2025, 14(7), 1233; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14071233 - 31 Mar 2025
Viewed by 250
Abstract
In this study, the decomposition processes of tabletop sweeteners based on steviol glycosides were investigated to determine the kinetic parameters of activation energy (Ea) and the logarithm of the pre-exponential factor (ln A) based on the converted fraction (α). These parameters [...] Read more.
In this study, the decomposition processes of tabletop sweeteners based on steviol glycosides were investigated to determine the kinetic parameters of activation energy (Ea) and the logarithm of the pre-exponential factor (ln A) based on the converted fraction (α). These parameters were assessed using the Friedman and Ozawa–Flynn–Wall isoconversion methods with the NETZSCH Kinetics Neo software and the Model Free package. This study also aimed to explore the probable mechanism of the thermal decomposition of these materials. The thermal degradation of the samples was carried out in a temperature range of 150 to 400 °C under nitrogen flow, with heating rates of 5, 10, and 20 °C min−1. The results indicated that both stevioside and steviol glycoside (E3) samples require higher energy to initiate their decomposition. Furthermore, the samples based on steviol glycosides exhibited distinct probable decomposition mechanisms: a model of two consecutive reactions followed by two competitive reactions for stevioside (FnFnFnFn model), three consecutive stages for the steviol glycoside sample (FnCnFn model), two consecutive stages for the steviol glycoside + erythritol sample (FnCn model), and three consecutive stages for the steviol glycoside + xylitol sample (FnFnFn model). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 5th International Electronic Conference on Foods—"The Future of Technology, Sustainability, and Nutrition in the Food Domain" (Foods2024))
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18 pages, 1904 KiB  
Article
Impact of Food Allergies on the Food Safety and Life Quality of Adults in Spain
by Eulalia Antich Ferrer, Sandra Fernández-Pastor and Ana Guerrero
Foods 2025, 14(6), 939; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14060939 - 10 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1069
Abstract
Food allergies are increasingly frequent immune system reactions triggered by allergens present in food, which can affect quality of life. To investigate the impact of food allergies among Spanish adults and the influence of gender and age of diagnosis, an online survey using [...] Read more.
Food allergies are increasingly frequent immune system reactions triggered by allergens present in food, which can affect quality of life. To investigate the impact of food allergies among Spanish adults and the influence of gender and age of diagnosis, an online survey using the shortened version of the Adult Food Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire (FAQLQ) was conducted. A total of 134 participants with food allergies were enrolled in the exploratory study. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.050) were found in the perception of the emotional and social impact of food allergies on quality of life. Age of diagnosis (childhood, adolescence, or adulthood) had a greater influence on more variables than gender. Men reported greater fear of accidentally consuming something that could trigger an allergic reaction compared to women (p = 0.003), while women felt more excluded due to their allergies (p = 0.030). Overall, the perception of eating out was characterized by insecurity. The quality of life of individuals with food allergies could be improved through the use of pictograms on labels, menus, and increased training in the foodservice industry regarding allergens. Multiple additional investigations are recommended to generalize current findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 5th International Electronic Conference on Foods—"The Future of Technology, Sustainability, and Nutrition in the Food Domain" (Foods2024))
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14 pages, 1650 KiB  
Article
L-Theanine Extends the Lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans by Reducing the End Products of Advanced Glycosylation
by Zhihang Huang, Haiming Jing, Yan Pan, Hongxia Cai, Wenjing Zhang, Jingyuan Zhu, Nan Zhang, Dan Wu, Wentao Xu, Hexiang Qiu, Huihui Bao, Guojun Li, Junyu Ning, Bo Xian and Shan Gao
Foods 2025, 14(2), 221; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14020221 - 13 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1809
Abstract
L-theanine, a non-protein amino acid naturally occurring in tea leaves, is recognized for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. Despite its known benefits, the mechanisms by which L-theanine influences lifespan extension remain poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of L-theanine on the [...] Read more.
L-theanine, a non-protein amino acid naturally occurring in tea leaves, is recognized for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties. Despite its known benefits, the mechanisms by which L-theanine influences lifespan extension remain poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of L-theanine on the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans and explored the underlying mechanisms. Our findings indicate that L-theanine significantly diminishes the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are biomarkers closely linked to aging and age-related diseases. Through an AGE-level analysis, we observed that L-theanine, when administered during early adulthood, notably extended the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans under both normal and high-glucose-induced stress conditions. L-theanine enhanced the lifespan under typical conditions and provided protective effects against high-glucose-induced stress. A further analysis demonstrated that L-theanine extends the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans by modulating the DAF-2/DAF-16 insulin-like signaling pathway and reducing the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). In summary, this study identified L-theanine as a potential anti-aging intervention that extends the lifespan by reducing AGE accumulation and regulating insulin-like signaling pathways. These findings provide new insights for developing anti-aging strategies and lay the groundwork for further research on the potential benefits of L-theanine in mammals. Future studies could explore the molecular mechanisms, test L-theanine in mammalian models, and assess the long-term side effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 5th International Electronic Conference on Foods—"The Future of Technology, Sustainability, and Nutrition in the Food Domain" (Foods2024))
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16 pages, 2016 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Mushroom (Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus ostreatus) By-Products Processing for Prospective Functional Flour Development
by Patricia Bermúdez-Gómez, Juana Fernández-López, Margarita Pérez-Clavijo and Manuel Viuda-Martos
Foods 2024, 13(24), 4046; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13244046 - 14 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1632
Abstract
Stems are a major by-product of mushroom production. This study optimizes the transformation of Agaricus bisporus stems (ABS) and Pleurotus ostreatus stems (POS) into flour. ABS are attached to the peat, so, the process was divided into two steps. First, four cleaning methods [...] Read more.
Stems are a major by-product of mushroom production. This study optimizes the transformation of Agaricus bisporus stems (ABS) and Pleurotus ostreatus stems (POS) into flour. ABS are attached to the peat, so, the process was divided into two steps. First, four cleaning methods were tested for ABS: pre-drying, brushing, abrasive peeling, and immersion in chlorinated water and brushing. Abrasive peeling was the most effective, showing the lowest color difference (9.18), total aerobic count (3.48 log cfu/g), and the highest profitability (1 kg/h). In the second step, ABS and POS were dried using a freeze-dryer, a dehydrator, and an oven. Dehydration resulted in stems with a lower browning index (24.57 in ABS and 29.95 in POS) than the oven, and a smaller energy consumption than the freeze-dryer. Finally, three dehydration temperatures (40, 50, and 60 °C) were compared. Dehydration at 50 °C resulted in faster moisture loss (24 h) and similar phenolic compound concentrations (3.35 and 7.69 mg GAE/100g fresh ABS and POS, respectively) than at 40 °C (32 h in ABS and 28 h in POS). In conclusion, the transformation of ABS and POS into flours requires processes that influence their chemical composition, physicochemical characteristics, and the profitability of their production. In this project, the optimal process involved cleaning ABS through abrasive peeling and dehydrating both ABS and POS at 50 °C for 24 h. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 5th International Electronic Conference on Foods—"The Future of Technology, Sustainability, and Nutrition in the Food Domain" (Foods2024))
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