Innovative Functional Foods for Chronic Disease Prevention
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Foods".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 May 2026 | Viewed by 30
Special Issue Editors
2. Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
Interests: plant carbohydrates; dietary fibers; glycemic response; obesity; aging and metabolic diseases
2. Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea
Interests: plant-derived nutrients; ketogenic diet; oxidative stress; glycemic response and metabolic diseases
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to invite you to contribute to the upcoming Special Issue entitled ‘Innovative Functional Foods for Chronic Disease Prevention in Foods. This Special Issue aims to highlight cutting-edge research on plant-based foods and plant-derived carbohydrates, focusing on their role in modulating glycemic response and preventing chronic metabolic diseases.
Glycemic response is crucial for maintaining postprandial blood glucose homeostasis. While early studies established that total carbohydrate intake significantly impacts this regulation, emerging research emphasizes the complex relationship between components of plant foods, including micronutrients, dietary fibers, resistant starches, and bioactive compounds and their combined impact on glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL).
However, it remains unclear how plant-derived sugars and other phytoconstituents influence glycemic response and insulin signaling pathways, both of which are essential for glucose metabolism and long-term metabolic health. High-glycemic diets have been associated with various pathological conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, inflammation, obesity, and cancer. Therefore, there is an increasing need to identify and develop novel plant-based foods and bioactive compounds that promote low glycemic response and contribute to chronic disease prevention.
This Special Issue welcomes original research articles, reviews, and short communications that address, but are not limited, to the following topics:
- Mechanistic studies on plant-based sugars, carbohydrates, and dietary fibers that influence glycemic index and glycemic load
- Development of functional foods from fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes with low glycemic potential
- Innovative technologies for measuring, predicting, and modulating glycemic response and insulin sensitivity
- Interactions between the gut microbiome and plant-derived carbohydrates and their role in chronic disease prevention
- Nutritional interventions and clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of functional foods in managing glycemic control
- Advances in food processing, bioavailability, and nutrient delivery systems that optimize glycemic outcomes
- Epidemiological and population-based studies linking plant-based diets with reduced metabolic and chronic disease risks.
All manuscripts will undergo a rigorous peer review process to ensure high scientific quality and relevance to the field. Submissions should comply with the journal’s author guidelines and ethical standards.
Dr. Manish Singh
Prof. Dr. Sung Soo Kim
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
- plant-based sugar and carbohydrates
- fruit, vegetable and grain and dietary fiber
- glycemic response and insulin signaling
- gut microbiota and impact on glucose metabolism
- glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and obesity
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.
