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Food Proteins in Functional Food Development, Nutritional Health Promotion, and...
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Food Proteins in Functional Food Development, Nutritional Health Promotion, and Modern Food Industry

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2025 | Viewed by 2179

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Xiaowen Pi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400000, China
Interests: allergen in food protein; protein modification; food processing
Prof. Dr. Guangming Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Xiamen Key Laboratory of Marine Functional Food, College of Ocean Food and Biological Engineering, Fujian Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Marine Functional Food, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China
Interests: aquatic product; food allergy; food safety; food processing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Protein is an important cornerstone of life activities and occupies a pivotal position in food. With the continuous progress of modern science and technology, people's understanding of food protein is also deepening, from its basic physical and chemical properties to changes in its processing, as well as to its application in the field of nutrition and health. The study of food protein is increasingly becoming a hot spot in the field of food science.

We are committed to discussing the latest research progress of food proteins in functional food development, nutritional health promotion, and the modern food industry. This Special Issue focuses on the physicochemical, functional, and structural properties of proteins, as well as the effects of modern biotechnology and food processing technologies on the properties of food proteins. We will also focus on the relationship between food protein and the body’s nutritional health, such as digestion, metabolism, and absorption processes.

Dr. Xiaowen Pi
Prof. Dr. Guangming Liu
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

  • food protein
  • functional characteristics
  • structure
  • food processing
  • nutrition
  • interaction

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 267 KiB  
Article
Will Australians Eat Alternative Proteins?
by Diana Bogueva and Dora Marinova
Foods 2025, 14(9), 1526; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14091526 - 26 Apr 2025
Viewed by 286
Abstract
Australia, which has one of the world’s highest per capita meat consumption rates, is hesitant toward adopting alternative proteins. This study examines consumer perceptions of protein alternatives and their perceived safety, nutritional value, health risks, cost and willingness to incorporate them into their [...] Read more.
Australia, which has one of the world’s highest per capita meat consumption rates, is hesitant toward adopting alternative proteins. This study examines consumer perceptions of protein alternatives and their perceived safety, nutritional value, health risks, cost and willingness to incorporate them into their diets. Using a mixed-methods approach, a survey of 520 Australians aged 18 to 64 revealed that while alternative proteins are viewed as occasional dietary options, younger consumers—despite their tendency to favour traditional food choices—show interest in plant-based milk and algae-based products. However, across all generations, interest in regular consumption of plant-based meats, insects and cultured meat remains low. These findings highlight evolving attitudes, challenges to market growth, and the importance of fostering greater consumer trust to encourage wider adoption of alternative proteins. Addressing generational differences in adoption and resistance will be essential for expanding market penetration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Proteins in Functional Food Development, Nutritional Health Promotion, and Modern Food Industry)
28 pages, 17464 KiB  
Article
Effect of the Number of Gallate Groups of Polyphenols on the Structure, Gel Properties, and Biological Activity of Soy Protein Fibrils
by Tianhe Xu, Ruihan Su, Bowen Yang, Shicheng Dai, Junzheng Wang, Weixiang Zhu, Qi Fang, Huan Wang and Lianzhou Jiang
Foods 2025, 14(6), 974; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14060974 - 12 Mar 2025
Viewed by 562
Abstract
Amyloid fibril hydrogels prepared via protein acid heating currently exhibit inadequate gel properties and biological activity. These limitations can be addressed by modifying the amyloid fibrils with polyphenols. In this study, two types of polyphenols—tannic acid (TA) and gallic acid (GA)—were selected to [...] Read more.
Amyloid fibril hydrogels prepared via protein acid heating currently exhibit inadequate gel properties and biological activity. These limitations can be addressed by modifying the amyloid fibrils with polyphenols. In this study, two types of polyphenols—tannic acid (TA) and gallic acid (GA)—were selected to prepare hydrogels with soy protein fibrils (SPIFs) at varying proportions to investigate structure, gel properties, and biological activity. TEM results revealed that polyphenols are deposited on the surface of SPIFs by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction to form hybrid supramolecules. The greater the mass ratio of polyphenols to SPIF, the more pronounced the structural changes. When the mass ratios of TA, GA, and SPIF were 1:20 and 1:2, respectively, the β-sheet content reached the maximum. The gel strength increased by 6 times and 5 times, respectively, with the modulus reaching 334.91 Pa and 317.79 Pa, respectively. The hydrogels exhibited optimal apparent viscosity and structural recovery properties. Bacteriostatic and cytotoxicity tests demonstrated that the hydrogels exhibited excellent antibacterial properties while maintaining safety. In summary, TA demonstrates significant advantages in remodeling SPIF at low concentrations, thereby enhancing the gel characteristics and antibacterial properties of the hydrogel. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Proteins in Functional Food Development, Nutritional Health Promotion, and Modern Food Industry)
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14 pages, 3177 KiB  
Article
Effect of Pre-Emulsified Flaxseed Oil Containing Rutin on the Quality of Nemipterus virgatus Surimi Gel: Gelatinization Properties, Storage Stability, and Protein Digestibility
by Qingguan Liu, Xiaobing Huang, Huanta Ma, Xinyi Qin, Pengzhi Hong, Xiaowen Pi and Chunxia Zhou
Foods 2025, 14(2), 242; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14020242 - 14 Jan 2025
Viewed by 720
Abstract
Rinsing during surimi protein processing can result in the loss of essential nutrients, such as fats and minerals. Therefore, supplementing functional fats in a stable form can make up for the fat loss of surimi during the rinsing process. This research aimed to [...] Read more.
Rinsing during surimi protein processing can result in the loss of essential nutrients, such as fats and minerals. Therefore, supplementing functional fats in a stable form can make up for the fat loss of surimi during the rinsing process. This research aimed to investigate the effects of incorporating pre-emulsified flaxseed oil with different concentrations of rutin (0, 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5%, dissolved in flaxseed oil, w/v) to Nemipterus virgatus surimi on the gelatinization properties, lipid oxidation, and in vitro static simulated digestion characteristics of surimi gels. The results indicated that the addition of 1.5% rutin significantly improved the water-holding capacity and decreased the cooking loss rate of surimi gel (p < 0.05). The results of optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed that the addition of 1.5% rutin promoted a denser network structure of surimi gel. Furthermore, the incorporation of rutin effectively slowed lipid oxidation in pre-emulsified flaxseed oil surimi gel. Compared with the gel group containing only pre-emulsified flaxseed oil, the addition of rutin significantly reduced the levels of volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARSs) in the gel and also mitigated the decline in acidity (p < 0.05). Moreover, the addition of rutin significantly inhibited the decrease in pH of surimi gel during storage (p < 0.05). In vitro static simulated digestion demonstrated that the addition of 1.5% rutin enhanced the protein digestibility from 71.2% to 77.2% of the surimi gel. Therefore, adding pre-emulsified oil containing an appropriate amount of rutin to surimi can not only compensate for the fat loss during the surimi rinsing process but also effectively improve the quality characteristics of surimi gels. This research will provide a theoretical basis for the effective addition of functional lipids in surimi products and the development of nutritious and healthy surimi products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Proteins in Functional Food Development, Nutritional Health Promotion, and Modern Food Industry)
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