Applications of Hydrocolloids for Food Product Development

Dear Colleagues,

Hydrocolloids are a typical form of soft matter that are becoming popular candidates for smart, functional materials in food and biological applications. They are prepared via various fabrication approaches involving contained heating, cooling, enzymatic, ionic, and pH-induced crosslinking, as well as high-pressure and ultrasound processing. The physical characteristics analyzed include mechanical performance, water-holding capacity, thermal stability, and microstructures. They have several design trends for food applications, including the modification of textural and sensory properties, the development of 3D printing, the construction of fat replacers, assistance in dysphagia management, the encapsulation of bioactive components, and fabrication of edible and antibacterial coatings.

The Special Issue invites the submission of research and review papers focused on the discovery, preparation, characterization, and functional application of hydrocolloids for food product development. Topics of interest include the following:

• Innovative methods for the extraction and purification of hydrocolloids;
• The structural and functional characterization of hydrocolloids;
• Applications of hydrocolloids in food processing, stabilization, and preservation;
• The potential for developing functional foods.

Dr. Jianan Yan
Dr. Yinan Du
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.