Recent Advances in Starch Processing Enzymes: From Enzyme Tools to Functional Starch Derivatives
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Physics and (Bio)Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2026 | Viewed by 9
Special Issue Editors
Interests: starch-active enzymes; starch modification; relationship between starch structure and functionality; functional starch derivatives
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue seeks to cover the latest developments in enzymatic tools for starch processing and their role in producing functional starch derivatives. It will explore the fundamental mechanisms of starch modification by enzymes, including the action of amylases, glucanotransferases, debranching enzymes, and other emerging biocatalysts. This issue aims to elucidate how enzymatic treatments alter the structural, physicochemical, and functional properties of starch, enabling the design of tailored starch-based materials with enhanced performance.
The broad applications of enzyme-modified starches across food will be included, emphasizing their importance in meeting market demands for clean-label, sustainable, and functional ingredients. This issue will highlight innovative strategies for producing resistant starch, slowly digestible carbohydrates, starch oligosaccharides, and other value-added derivatives with specific technological and nutritional benefits. Special attention will also be given to health-related applications, such as glycemic control, dietary fiber enhancement, and prebiotic effects.
Furthermore, this issue will address advances in enzyme engineering, process optimization, scale-up challenges, and sustainability considerations. It will include practical case studies demonstrating their implementation in industrial contexts, alongside future perspectives on emerging enzyme technologies and their potential to improve starch processing.
Dr. Hangyan Ji
Dr. Qun Yu
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
- starch modification
- enzyme catalysis mechanism
- functional starch derivatives
- resistant starch
- slowly digestible starch
- maltodextrins
- oligosaccharides
- clean-label ingredients
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