Innovative Cereal-, Legume-, and Their By-Product-Based Foods: Processing, Nutrition, and Functional Ingredients

Dear Colleagues,

Aims

This Special Issue aims to publish cutting-edge research and critical reviews on the upcycling of cereal and legume processing side-streams (e.g., bran, rice bran, germ, husks, milling fractions, okara, and other plant-based residues) into functional ingredients and consumer-ready foods. This Special Issue prioritizes studies that apply fermentation and/or bioprocessing (this can be enzyme-assisted or coupled with mild food processing such as extrusion or thermal processing) to improve digestibility and postprandial metabolic outcomes (e.g., starch digestibility and glycemic response), supported by transparent process–structure–function links in real food matrices.

Scope

We welcome the submission of original research, systematic/critical reviews, and method-oriented papers that explicitly connect (i) the composition/structure of by-products, (ii) bioprocessing parameters, and (iii) performance in foods, with emphasis on digestibility and gut-relevant evidence. Topics of interest include the following:

• Feedstock characterization and fractionation of cereal/legume by-products (bran, germ, husks, okara, etc.): dietary fiber (β-glucan and arabinoxylan), bound phenolics (e.g., ferulic acid/tannins), proteins/peptides, and constraints such as off-flavors and antinutrients.
• Fermentation and enzyme-assisted bioprocessing to modulate matrix chemistry and microstructure: release of bound bioactives, increase in soluble dietary fiber, generation of peptides, reduction in antinutrients; design of single-/co-culture and sequential strategies.
• Process–structure–function relationships in ingredients and foods: protein–starch–fiber–polyphenol interactions, water binding, rheology/texture, and stability, as well as formulation and reporting best practices.
• Application and validation in low-GI staple foods and related products (e.g., noodles, breads, steamed products, and snacks): sensory/texture acceptability together with relevant nutritional performance metrics.
• Digestibility and gut-relevant evidence: standardized in vitro digestion (starch hydrolysis kinetics/eGI), colonic fermentation models and SCFA profiles, and microbiome-relevant readouts. Animal/human data are welcome where possible.
• Translation and reproducibility for upcycling: minimal reporting checklists, process scalability, and (where feasible) techno-economic or sustainability metrics tied to the proposed bioprocessing route.

Out of scope (to maintain focus)

Submissions that focus primarily on generic processing/quality optimization without a clear by-product upcycling angle and without digestibility/gut-relevant evidence are discouraged. Studies focused solely on broad safety or regulatory discussions, or on unrelated emerging technologies (e.g., electromagnetic treatments) without a direct link to the above focus, are also outside the scope of this issue.

Submissions should demonstrate a clear causal chain from processing conditions to ingredient structure/function and, ultimately, to food performance and digestibility-related outcomes, using appropriate controls and standardized reporting where possible.

Introduction

Cereal and legume side-streams are rich in fermentable fibers, bound phenolics, and proteins, yet they are underutilized due to coarse texture, off-flavors, and limited bioaccessibility. This Special Issue focuses on how fermentation and bioprocessing can turn these by-products into functional ingredients for low-glycemic and gut-targeted foods. We particularly encourage contributions that (1) quantify how bioprocessing reshapes the food matrix (protein–starch–fiber–polyphenol interactions, rheology, and microstructure), and (2) validate benefits using digestibility metrics (starch hydrolysis, and eGI) and gut-relevant models (colonic fermentation/SCFAs and microbiome-related readouts), ideally in real product prototypes such as noodles, breads, and steamed staples.

Dr. Feiyue Ren
Prof. Dr. Huijuan Zhang
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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.

• cereal and legume by-products
• fermentation and bioprocessing
• functional ingredients
• digestibility and bioaccessibility
• process–structure–function relationship