Next-Generation Preservation Processes for a Resilient Agri-Food Supply Chain
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Systems".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2026 | Viewed by 58
Special Issue Editors
Interests: food technology; new foods; nutraceutical food properties; new wine process production; EVO process production; EVOO shelf life; recycling food waste
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: food science; food technology; conceiving new foods; nutraceutical food properties; new wine process production; new EVO process production; traditional Mediterranean foods and food technology; sourdough bakery products; recycling food waste
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In recent years, our agri-food system has been facing increasingly complex and interconnected challenges, intensified by the tangible effects of climate change and by global socio-economic and health-related transformations. Prolonged droughts, extreme weather events, rising temperatures, biodiversity loss, and the spread of new pests and pathogens are putting the entire food supply chain— from primary production to consumption—under severe pressure. At the same time, global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical instability have highlighted the vulnerability of food supply systems, underlining the urgent need to build a more flexible model capable of adapting rapidly to unexpected scenarios. In this context, it is essential to rethink our agri-food system based on principles of environmental sustainability, resource efficiency, and adaptability. A sustainable system not only reduces environmental impact—by lowering greenhouse gas emissions, protecting soil and water resources, and valorizing waste—but also ensures food security, product quality, and social equity throughout the value chain. Resilience, understood as the system’s capacity to withstand, adapt to, and transform in response to crises, is the other key pillar. Only a resilient agri-food system can ensure continuity in food production and distribution while protecting both producers and consumers from future shocks. Investing in innovation, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, improving food preservation, reducing waste, and integrating circular economy models are crucial steps to address current and future challenges. Change is no longer a choice, and it is a necessity that involves all actors in the supply chain: farmers, processors, researchers, consumers, and policymakers. Only through coordinated and forward-looking action can we build an agri-food system that is truly sustainable, fair, and capable of ensuring well-being for present and future generations.
Dr. Monica Macaluso
Dr. Angela Zinnai
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
- sustainable system
- resilience
- climate change
- food waste reduction
- circular economy agri-food innovation
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