Recent Research in Infant Formula: The Dual Impact of Processing and Functional Ingredients on Health
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Dairy".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 November 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: Infant formular; Infant Health and Development; Functional Food
Interests: Probiotics; Prebiotics; Postbiotics; Gut microbiota; Disease
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Infant formula is essential for sustaining life and maintaining gut homeostasis; however, it can also act as an “invisible pusher,” triggering immune imbalances and diseases. Infant formula components, including proteins, polysaccharides, lipids, prebiotics and probiotics, finely regulate host immune responses by influencing immune cell development, differentiation, inflammatory signaling and mucosal barrier function. Meanwhile, infant formula alters the composition of the gut microbiota and its metabolites, impacting local and systemic immune networks. This forms a dynamic and complex regulatory axis known as the “infant formula-microbiota-host health” interaction. However, the rapid advancement of the food industry and processing techniques has significantly altered the structure and chemical properties of infant formula. Therefore, processing techniques and functional ingredients play a dual role in the Infant formula, having a dual impact on the host's health.
To gain a deeper understanding of this complex field, we welcome submissions exploring the following topics (but not limited to):
- Clinical and preclinical evidence for infant formula ingredients with health benefits (e.g., proteins, prebiotics and probiotics).
- Investigating the mechanisms by which infant formula ingredients modulate host health, including regulation of immunity, the gut barrier and the gut microbiota.
- Infant formula ingredient-mediated alterations in gut microbiota and metabolic function and further gut-X-axis-based health mechanisms.
- Adverse effects of processing-induced changes in infant formula (e.g., Maillard reactions, lipid oxidation) on host health.
- Quality alterations and pathogenic microbial contamination during infant formula storage.
Dr. Qingxue Chen
Prof. Dr. Bailiang Li
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.
Keywords
- Infant formula
- Processing
- Functional ingredients
- Gut microbiota
- gut-X-axis
- Potential risks
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