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Special Issue "Climate Changes and Global Warming—the Future of Foods"

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A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Security and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 January 2022) | Viewed by 13950

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Diego A. Moreno
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Guest Editor

1. Phytochemistry and Healthy Foods Laboratory, Department of Food Science and Technology, National Council for Scientific Research (CEBAS-CSIC), Murcia, Spain
2. Associated Unit of R&D and Innovation CEBAS-CSIC+UPCT on “Quality and Risk Assessment of Foods”, CEBAS-CSIC, Campus Espinardo - 25, E-30100 Murcia, Spain
Interests: food science and technology; phytochemistry; bioactive compounds; health-promoters, functional ingredients; natural foods; healthy foods; energy metabolism (obesity and diabetes); human nutrition; wellbeing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Micaela Carvajal
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Guest Editor

Aquaporins Group, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura, CEBAS-CSIC, Campus Universitario de Espinardo - 25, E-30100 Murcia, Spain
Interests: aquaporins; plant adaptation to climate change; water absorption and transport in plants; proteomics and genomics of aquaporins; nanotechnology of proteins; biomolecules of industrial use
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Cristina García-Viguera
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Guest Editor

1. Phytochemistry and Healthy Foods Laboratory, Department of Food Science and Technology, National Council for Scientific Research (CEBAS-CSIC), Murcia, Spain
2. Associated Unit of R&D and Innovation CEBAS-CSIC+UPCT on “Quality and Risk Assessment of Foods”, CEBAS-CSIC, Campus Espinardo - 25, E-30100 Murcia, Spain
Interests: food science and technology; phytochemistry; bioactive compounds; health promoters; functional ingredients, beverages and foods; natural and minimally processed foods; healthy foods; energy metabolism (obesity, diabetes); chronic inflammation; human nutrition; wellbeing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Pablo S. Fernández-Escamez
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Guest Editor

Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII 48, 30203 Cartagena, Spain
Interests: food safety; microbial predictive modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Paula Mª Periago-Bayonas
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Guest Editor

1. Departamento de Ingeniería de Alimentos y del Equipamiento Agrícola, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Regional, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (UPCT), Paseo Alfonso XIII 48, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain
2. Associated Unit of R&D and Innovation CEBAS-CSIC+UPCT on “Quality and Risk Assessment of Foods”, CEBAS-CSIC, Campus Espinardo - 25, E-30100 Murcia, Spain
3. Instituto de Biotecnología Vegetal, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Regional “Campus Mare Nostrum”, Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Spain
Interests: food microbiology; thermal hygienization; natural antimicrobials; processing technologies; predictive microbiology; food risk assessment; shelf life and food safety

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Billions of people around the world are poorly nourished, millions of farmers must live at a subsistence level, enormous amounts of food go to waste, and poor farming practices are endangering agroecosystems, especially when growing for quantity rather than quality, when it comes to agriculture and food systems. The rising rates of non-communicable diseases (obesity, diabetes), and the persistence of hunger in many parts of the world are also a dramatic part of the problem. The future of agriculture in this changing climate and global warming trend will have severe impacts on water supply, soil quality, and the future of food production. The achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals will require the adaptation of food systems to be more inclusive, sustainable, efficient, and nourishing. This situation calls for advances and critical discussions and investigations on interconnected areas of research, development, and innovation, when it comes to the security or the insecurity of foods for the future. Potential topics include:

Food chain—efficiency, supply chain and transport, environmental footprint;
SDG O2—zero hunger; climate change; water; sustainable development;
Food technology and innovation—food and beverage;
Chemical and material industries;
Biotechnology;
Nutrition and health.

Dr. Diego A. Moreno
Prof. Dr. Micaela Carvajal-Alcaráz
Prof. Cristina García-Viguera
Prof. Dr. Pablo S. Fernández-Escamez
Prof. Dr. Paula Mª Periago-Bayonas
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 2200 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 for the future
bioactive compounds
agriculture and environment
food safety and security
food technology and innovation
nutrition and health

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

Is Current Research on How Climate Change Impacts Global Food Security Really Objective?

and

Foods 2021, 10(10), 2342; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10102342 - 30 Sep 2021

Viewed by 573

Abstract

Global food insecurity is becoming more severe under the threat of rising global carbon dioxide concentrations, increasing population, and shrinking farmlands and their degeneration. We acquired the ISI Web of Science platform for over 31 years (1988–2018) to review the research on how climate change impacts global food security, and then performed cluster analysis and research hotspot analysis with VosViewer software. We found there were two drawbacks that exist in the current research. Firstly, current field research data were defective because they were collected from various facilities and were hard to integrate. The other drawback is the representativeness of field research site selection as most studies were carried out in developed countries and very few in developing countries. Therefore, more attention should be paid to developing countries, especially some African and Asian countries. At the same time, new modified mathematical models should be utilized to process and integrate the data from various facilities and regions. Finally, we suggested that governments and organizations across the world should be united to wrestle with the impact of climate change on food security. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Changes and Global Warming—the Future of Foods)

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Open AccessArticle

The Influence of Red Cabbage Extract Nanoencapsulated with Brassica Plasma Membrane Vesicles on the Gut Microbiome of Obese Volunteers

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Foods 2021, 10(5), 1038; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10051038 - 10 May 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1269

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of the red cabbage extracts on the bioaccessibility of their isothiocyanates, and their effect on the intestinal microbiota using a dynamic model of human digestion treated with the gut microbiome of obese adults. The elicitation of red cabbage plants with methyl jasmonate (MeJA) duplicated the content of glucosinolates (GSLs) in the plant organs used for elaborating the encapsulated formula. The use of plasma membrane vesicles, according to a proper methodology and technology, showed a high retention of sulforaphane (SFN) and indol-3-carbinol (I3C) over the course of the 14-day digestion study. The microbiome was scarcely affected by the treatments in terms of microbiota composition or the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio, but a 3 to 4-fold increase was observed in the production of butyric acid with the encapsulated extract treatment. Based on our pilot red cabbage extract study, the consumption of this extract, mainly encapsulated, may play a potential role in the management of obesity in adults. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Changes and Global Warming—the Future of Foods)

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Open AccessArticle

Native Species Facing Climate Changes: Response of Calafate Berries to Low Temperature and UV Radiation

María Eugenia Romero-Román

Mauricio Schoebitz

Richard M. Bastías

Pablo S. Fernández

Cristina García-Viguera

and

María Dolores López-Belchi

Foods 2021, 10(1), 196; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10010196 - 19 Jan 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1716

Abstract

Calafate (Berberis microphylla G. Forst) is a wild bush plant widely distributed in the south of Argentina and Chile. Their blue colored fruits present particular flavor and health benefits attributed to high polyphenol contents biosynthesized by the plant under stress. Studies about correlation of abiotic conditions with anthocyanin profiles and physicochemical features of calafate beneath wild origin environment are not described yet. Hence, this research aimed to evaluate the physicochemical changes, antioxidant activity and anthocyanin content of calafate fruit in relationship to UV solar radiation (W.m⁻²) and air temperature (°C) environment condition during three consecutive years (2017, 2018, 2019). Variations in fruit anthocyanins were determined by comparison between high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC-DAD-ESI)/MSn and CIEL*a*b* colors parameters. Correlations were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA). Radiation was negatively correlated with fruit size and weight. Physicochemical aspects such as pH, soluble solids, color, total anthocyanins, flavanols and other phenolic compounds were positively correlated with temperature changes. The quantities of monomeric anthocyanins were dependent on both low temperature and global radiation (reaching 20.01 mg g⁻¹ FW in calafate fruit). These results constitute a valuable resource to understand the structural and physiological plasticity of calafate in facing climate changes for future domestication research as well as for agri-food industrial application. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Changes and Global Warming—the Future of Foods)

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Graphical abstract

Open AccessArticle

Halophytes of the Mediterranean Basin—Underutilized Species with the Potential to Be Nutritious Crops in the Scenario of the Climate Change

Agatha Agudelo

Micaela Carvajal

and

María del Carmen Martinez-Ballesta

Foods 2021, 10(1), 119; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10010119 - 08 Jan 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1212

Abstract

Halophyte plants are adapted to saline environments and represent a novel type of crops given their possible uses at both culinary and industrial levels. In this work, the nutritional quality of different Mediterranean halophyte species, Atriplex halimus, Salicornia fruticosa, and Cakile maritima, was evaluated under conditions of high salinity. For this, plants were grown at different NaCl concentrations (0, 100, 200, and 300 mM) and the contents of proteins, total lipids, polyphenols, and mineral elements were analyzed as well as growth. Of the three species, C. maritima was the most sensitive to salt stress and therefore showed the highest phenolic compounds content. By contrast, whereas salinity increased the amounts of proteins and phenolics with respect to the control in A. halimus and S. fruticosa, it decreased them in C. maritima. Plants of A. halimus accumulated higher amounts of Na⁺ in their leaves, but the level of this ion, considering human consumption, was below that of other culinary halophyte species. In conclusion, all the results indicate that these three halophyte species grown at high salt levels represent optimal crops for—new foodstuff—production as green salt or spice due to their nutritional potential. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Changes and Global Warming—the Future of Foods)

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Open AccessArticle

Demographic Scenarios of Future Environmental Footprints of Healthy Diets in China

Aixi Han

Li Chai

and

Xiawei Liao

Foods 2020, 9(8), 1021; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9081021 - 30 Jul 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1400

Abstract

Dietary improvement not only benefits human health conditions, but also offers the potential to reduce the human food system’s environmental impact. With the world’s largest population and people’s bourgeoning lifestyle, China’s food system is set to impose increasing pressures on the environment. We evaluated the minimum environmental footprints, including carbon footprint (CF), water footprint (WF) and ecological footprint (EF), of China’s food systems into 2100. The minimum footprints of healthy eating are informative to policymakers when setting the environmental constraints for food systems. The results demonstrate that the minimum CF, WF and EF all increase in the near future and peak around 2030 to 2035, under different population scenarios. After the peak, population decline and aging result in decreasing trends of all environmental footprints until 2100. Considering age-gender specific nutritional needs, the food demands of teenagers in the 14–17 year group require the largest environmental footprints across the three indicators. Moreover, men’s nutritional needs also lead to larger environmental footprints than women’s across all age groups. By 2100, the minimum CF, WF and EF associated with China’s food systems range from 616 to 899 million tons, 654 to 953 km³ and 6513 to 9500 billion gm² respectively under different population scenarios. This study builds a bridge between demography and the environmental footprints of diet and demonstrates that the minimum environmental footprints of diet could vary by up to 46% in 2100 under different demographic scenarios. The results suggest to policymakers that setting the environmental constraints of food systems should be integrated with the planning of a future demographic path. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Changes and Global Warming—the Future of Foods)

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Open AccessArticle

Antioxidant, Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitory Properties and Blood-Pressure-Lowering Effect of Rice Bran Protein Hydrolysates

Inajara Beatriz Brose Piotrowicz

Marta Garcés-Rimón

Silvia Moreno-Fernández

Amaya Aleixandre

Myriam Salas-Mellado

and

Marta Miguel-Castro

Foods 2020, 9(6), 812; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9060812 - 20 Jun 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1726

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the biological properties of different hydrolysates derived from industrial and laboratory defatted rice bran proteins. Industrial and laboratory defatted rice bran protein concentrates were hydrolyzed with alcalase or flavorzyme. The degree of hydrolysis (DH), oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), reducing power, total phenolic compounds (TPC), and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity, were determined in the hydrolysates and the molecular fractions lower than 3 kDa. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured using the tail-cuff method before and after oral administration of 80 mg/kg of different rice bran protein hydrolysate (RBPH) fractions lower than 3 kDa in male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar–Kyoto (WKY) rats. The highest values of in vitro antioxidant activity and TPC were observed in RBPH with alcalase defatted by industry (RBPH2A), and, in all cases, these bioactivities were higher in the molecular fractions lower than 3 kDa. Once again, fractions lower than 3 kDa obtained with alcalase showed a potent ACE inhibitory activity (RBPH1A<3 and RBPH2A<3). The administration of RBPH1A<3 caused a significant decrease in the SBP in SHR, where the maximum decrease was reached at 8 h after administration. SBP in WKY rats was not modified after the administration of RBPH1A<3. These results suggest that the rice bran protein hydrolysates obtained from industry after treatment with alcalase could be an interesting source of bioactive peptides, with potential action on hypertension and other related pathologies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Changes and Global Warming—the Future of Foods)

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Review

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Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Strategies for Sustainable Substitution of Livestock Meat

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Foods 2020, 9(9), 1227; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9091227 - 03 Sep 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4292

Abstract

The consequences of climate change are becoming increasingly discernible everywhere, and initiatives have been taken worldwide to mitigate climate change. In agriculture, particularly meat production from the livestock sector is known to contribute to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) that drive climate change. Thus, to mitigate climate impact, strategies that include a shift in consumption patterns, technological advancements and reduction in food wastes/losses have been discussed. In this review, strategies that focus on meat consumption patterns are evaluated from the technological feasibility, environmental impact and consumer acceptance viewpoints. While plant-based substitutes have efficient nutrient conversion and lower GHG emissions, consumer perception, cost, and other trade-offs exist. Although cultured meat precludes the need of any animals and large land areas, its environmental impact is not clear and is contingent upon production systems and the achievement of decarbonization. Reducing wastes and the re-use of meat processing by-products have the potential to lower the environmental impact. Valuable proteins, heat, electricity and biofuels extracted from wastes and by-products not only reduce the disposal of wastes but also offset some GHG emissions. Perception related challenges that exist for all substitution strategies require specific consumer target marketing strategies. Policy measures such as taxation of meat products and subsidies for alternatives are also met with challenges, thereby requiring reforms or new policies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Changes and Global Warming—the Future of Foods)

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