Special Issues

Foods publishes Special Issues to create collections of papers on specific topics, with the aim of building a community of authors and readers to discuss the latest research and develop new ideas and research directions. Special Issues are led by Guest Editors, who are experts on the topic and all Special Issue submissions follow MDPI's standard editorial process. The journal’s Editor-in-Chief and/or designated Editorial Board Member will oversee Guest Editor appointments and Special Issue proposals, checking their content for relevance and ensuring the suitability of the material for the journal. The papers published in a Special Issue will be collected and displayed on a dedicated page of the journal’s website. Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies and Guest Editor responsibilities can be found here. For any inquiries related to a Special Issue, please contact the Editorial Office.

Section
Search by Title/Keyword
 
Order results
Display
Results per page
Smart Packaging in Food Industry: Opportunities and Challenges
edited by
submission deadline 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 66 | Submission Open
Keywords: food packaging materials; biodegradable polymers; antibacterial; antioxidant; foods; elasticity; mechanical strength; biosensors; internet of things; machine learning
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Packaging and Preservation)
Cereal and Cereal-Derived Products: Processing, Functional Properties and Applications in Foods submission deadline 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 63 | Submission Open
Keywords: ancient grains valorization; grain functional properties modifications; grains in alternative protein innovation; sustainable grain processing; grains as functional foods; characterization of grain macromolecules
(This special issue belongs to the Section Grain)
Gold Nanozymes for Advanced Food Safety Monitoring
edited by , Yang Zhang and
submission deadline 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 60 | Submission Open
Keywords: gold nanozymes; food safety; nanozyme-based biosensors; pathogen detection; colorimetric sensing; hybrid nanozymes; catalytic nanomaterials; portable food diagnostics; enzyme mimics; rapid contaminant detection
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Biotechnology)
Recent Developments in Grain Processing Methods
edited by and Tatiana Colombo Pimentel
submission deadline 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 55 | Submission Open
Keywords: food extrusion; brew process; grain sprout; novel process; cereal; pulses; pseudo-cereal; legumes; grain-based 3D print; upcycling in the grain process
(This special issue belongs to the Section Grain)
Micro- and Nanomaterials in Food Science: Preparation, Characterization, and Application
edited by , Rongzu Nie and Yunshan Wei
submission deadline 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 55 | Submission Open
Keywords: food micro/nanotechnology; micro/nanomaterials (films; gels; particles; emulsions; etc.); bioactive and intelligent food packaging; micro/nano-based delivery systems; mineral-based nanocomposites; micro/nano-sensors
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry Technologies Applied in the Detection of Food Contaminants Residues submission deadline 21 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1220 | Submission Open
Keywords: food contaminants; chromatography; mass spectrometry; residue analysis; emerging pollutants; green analytical chemistry; in situ and portable analysis.
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Analytical Methods)
Rapid Detection of Chemical Hazards in Food: Monitoring, Risk Assessment and Risk Mitigation Measures
edited by , Martina Loi and Christoph von-Holst
submission deadline 25 May 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 4250 | Submission Open
Keywords: chemical hazards; food contaminants; veterinary drugs; pesticides; rapid methods; monitoring; risk assessment; risk mitigation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Analytical Methods)
Advances in Dielectric Heating in Food Processing: Enhancing Safety, Quality, and Sustainability of Plant-Based Foods
edited by Hongfei Fu and
submission deadline 25 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 2965 | Submission Open
Keywords: dielectric heating; plant-based foods; food safety; nutritional quality; sensory characteristics; industrial application; mechanistic studies; sustainability
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
Advancements in Non-Thermal Technology for the Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Agro-Industrial By-Products and Implications for Food Preservation and Shelf Life Extension
edited by Junior Bernardo Molina-Hernández and
submission deadline 25 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1801 | Submission Open
Keywords: bioactive compounds; non-thermal technology; by-products; green extraction; shelf life
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
Application of Food Biomacromolecules in Food Packaging
edited by Hualin Wang
submission deadline 25 May 2026 | Viewed by 83 | Submission Open
Keywords: food biomacromolecules; intelligent packaging; edible films; food preservation; active packaging
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Packaging and Preservation)
Emerging Analytical Technologies Based on Various Nano-Structured Materials for Food Analysis
edited by
submission deadline 27 May 2026 | 5 articles | Viewed by 8087 | Submission Open
Keywords: nano-structured materials; food contaminants; nutrients; food analysis; food safety; food quality
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Analytical Methods)
Food Preservation: Traditional and Modern Processes and Strategies
edited by Magdalena Efenberger-Szmechtyk and
submission deadline 28 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 933 | Submission Open
Keywords: food preservatives; biopreservation; bioactive compounds; plant extracts; essential oils; bacteriocins; bacteriophages
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Packaging and Preservation)
The Future of Meat Alternatives: Advances in Plant-Based, Cultured, Microbial, and Insect-Derived Meat
edited by and
submission deadline 28 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 781 | Submission Open
Keywords: meat alternatives; cultured meat; plant-based meat; microbial protein; insect-based meat; texture; flavor; scalable production
(This special issue belongs to the Section Meat)
Preservation and Shelf Life Extension of Food Products submission deadline 29 May 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3989 | Submission Open
Keywords: food additives; active packaging; shelf life; food preservation; oxidative stability; antioxidant activity; food storage
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Packaging and Preservation)
Meat and Meat Products: Quality, Safety, and Consumer Perception
edited by
submission deadline 29 May 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 2343 | Submission Open
Keywords: meat quality and safety; consumer perception; taste and texture enhancement; novel meat processing technologies; hazard reduction; natural additives; functional ingredients in meat products; sensory characteristics; meat flavor improvement
(This special issue belongs to the Section Meat)
Recent Research on Foodborne Bacteria Detection and Inactivation Technology
edited by and Pradeep Kumar Malakar
submission deadline 29 May 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1519 | Submission Open
Keywords: foodborne bacteria; pathogen detection; inactivation technology; antimicrobial resistance; biosensors; non-thermal processing; microbial genomics; rapid diagnostics; food safety; public health
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Microbiology)
Advanced Research on Intelligent Food Packaging
edited by
submission deadline 29 May 2026 | Viewed by 110 | Submission Open
Keywords: intelligent packaging; food safety; sensors and indicators; active packaging; sustainable materials; nanotechnology; real-time monitoring; biodegradable polymers
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Packaging and Preservation)
Potential Health Benefits of Plant Food-Derived Bioactive Compounds: 2nd Edition
edited by
submission deadline 29 May 2026 | Viewed by 59 | Submission Open
Keywords: plant food-derived bioactive compounds; functional ingredients of food; preventive health benefits (potential to prevent certain diseases); functional health benefits (with the effect of treating some diseases; such as antioxidant stress; cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health; immune system and cognitive function; etc.); dietary nutrition; individual differences; dose– response relationship; nutrition; healthy foods
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Foods)
Health Benefits of Bioactive Compounds from Vegetable Sources
edited by Carlos Díaz Romero, , and Miguel Ángel Rincón-Cervera
submission deadline 30 May 2026 | 6 articles | Viewed by 9813 | Submission Open
Keywords: phenolics; carotenoids; tocopherols; phytosterols; immunomodulatory properties; anti-inflammatory activity; antioxidant activity; functional foods; vegetable foods; unprocessed foods
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Nutrition)
Green/Waste Biomass Utilization in Food Industry: Biorefinery Process and High Value-Added Products submission deadline 30 May 2026 | 6 articles | Viewed by 7004 | Submission Open
Keywords: green and waste biomass; biorefinery; food industry; bioactive compounds and high-value-added products; functional foods and nutraceuticals; circular bioeconomy and sustainability; biomass valorization
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Security and Sustainability)
Closing the Loop in Value-Added Foods of Animal Origin: Innovations via Upcycled Ingredients submission deadline 30 May 2026 | Viewed by 1150 | Submission Open
Keywords: upcycled ingredients; food by-products; food waste; animal-origin foods; food reformulation; value-added foods; functional properties; nutritional properties; food safety; shelf-life; health-promoting potential; sustainability; circular economy
(This special issue belongs to the Section Meat)
Cereals and Cereal Products: Processing Technology, Texture, Nutritional Value and Consumer Acceptance
edited by , Jian Li, and Mingfei Li
submission deadline 30 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 504 | Submission Open
Keywords: cereal processing; texture properties; nutritional quality; consumer acceptance; functional compounds; sensory evaluation; sustainable processing
(This special issue belongs to the Section Grain)
Progress in Fermented and Germinated Grain and Legume Products submission deadline 30 May 2026 | Viewed by 391 | Submission Open
Keywords: grain; legume; fermentation; germination; microorganisms; enzyme
(This special issue belongs to the Section Grain)
From Ocean to Table: Quality and Safety in Aquatic Food Processing
edited by and
submission deadline 30 May 2026 | Viewed by 126 | Submission Open
Keywords: processing; storage; preservation; rapid detection; by-products; food packaging
(This special issue belongs to the Section Foods of Marine Origin)
Non-Thermal Processing Technologies for Sustainable Food Processing
edited by and
submission deadline 30 May 2026 | Viewed by 90 | Submission Open
Keywords: non-thermal processing; sustainable food manufacturing; high-pressure processing; pulsed electric fields; cold plasma; ultrasound; microbial inactivation; food quality
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
Current Challenges in the Dairy Industry
edited by , Inga Klimczak and
submission deadline 30 May 2026 | Viewed by 80 | Submission Open
Keywords: innovations; challenges; labeling; storage; transport; digitalization; quality
(This special issue belongs to the Section Dairy)
Multifunctional Bioactives in Whole Grains for Health Foods submission deadline 30 May 2026 | Viewed by 76 | Submission Open
Keywords: whole grains; cereals; pseudocereals; pulses; bioactive compounds; functional foods; health benefits; processing; safety; consumer acceptability
(This special issue belongs to the Section Grain)
Current Advances of Emerging Contaminants in Food: Detection, Risk Assessment, and Control Strategies
edited by
submission deadline 30 May 2026 | Viewed by 64 | Submission Open
Keywords: microplastics and nano-plastics; antibiotic residues; endocrine disrupters; heat-generated AGEs/PAHs; additive-decomposed allergens; plant toxins (alkaloids; anthraquinones; etc.); insect protein-derived allergens; cell-cultured meat viral residues
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Quality and Safety)
Category 3 Animal By-Products: Implications for Food and Feed Safety and Quality Aspects in Their Reuse for Feed Production submission deadline 30 May 2026 | Viewed by 48 | Submission Open
Keywords: category 3 ABPs; food and feed safety; traceability; one health; risk analysis; circular economy; sustainability of the food and feed chain
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Quality and Safety)
Advances in Sources, Extraction, Encapsulation, Bioavailability and Health Benefits of Functional Food Ingredients—2nd Edition
edited by Rossella Vadalà, and
submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 5 articles | Viewed by 10937 | Submission Open
Keywords: functional foods; bioavailability enhancement strategies; encapsulation methods; health benefits; extraction techniques
(This special issue belongs to the Section Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods)
Production, Quality, Flavor Characteristics and Health Benefits of Tea: 2nd Edition
edited by Yanqin Yang
submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 8 articles | Viewed by 7058 | Submission Open
Keywords: tea; processing technology; quality control; non-destructive testing technology; flavor; aroma; health benefits
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Foods)
New Advances in Analysis and Sustainable Technologies in the Winemaking Industry submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 5522 | Submission Open
Keywords: grape wine analysis; fruit wine analysis; biologically active compounds; polyphenols; beneficial health effect; wine aging technologies; wine pomace valorisation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Drinks and Liquid Nutrition)
Food Proteins and Peptides: Bioactivity, Applications and Health Benefits submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 5 articles | Viewed by 5134 | Submission Open
Keywords: food-derived proteins; bioactive peptides; hydrolysates; functional foods; nutraceuticals; nutrition
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Nutrition)
Research on Analysis, Structural Characterization and Metabolism of Carbohydrates submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 3452 | Submission Open
Keywords: carbohydrate analysis; structural characterization; carbohydrate metabolism; monosaccharides; oligosaccharides; polysaccharide structure; glycemic response; analytical techniques (chromatography; spectroscopy; mass spectrometry); nutritional biochemistry; functional properties of carbohydrates
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Physics and (Bio)Chemistry)
Nutraceuticals and Medicine Foods: Processing Technologies, Metabolic Mechanisms, and Human Health
edited by , , Junhe Yu, Salar Hafez Ghoran, Fatemeh Taktaz and Ahmad Ud Din
submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2904 | Submission Open
Keywords: nutraceuticals; antioxidants; bioactive compounds; chronic disease prevention; epigenetics; functional foods; gut microbiome; human metabolism; food processing and the Maillard reaction; metabolomics; precision nutrition
(This special issue belongs to the Section Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods)
Meat Products: Quality, Safety, Physical Characteristics and New Processing Strategy
edited by Fangda Sun and
submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2831 | Submission Open
Keywords: meat products; physicochemical properties; meat processing; meat preservation; fermented meat; meat proteins; oxidation; bacteriostat; safety testing; microorganism
(This special issue belongs to the Section Meat)
Starch: Properties and Functionality in Food Systems
edited by Mengting Ma and Zhongquan Sui
submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 2751 | Submission Open
Keywords: starch; physicochemical properties; starch functionality; starch modification; food application
(This special issue belongs to the Section Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods)
Quality and Safety of Poultry Meat submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 2108 | Submission Open
Keywords: meat quality; chemical composition of meat; nutritive value of meat; nutrition; production technology; meat processing; health benefits; meat safety; microbiological and hygienic characteristics of meat
(This special issue belongs to the Section Meat)
Microbiota and Cheese Quality submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1927 | Submission Open
Keywords: cheese microbiology; cheese ripening; lactic acid bacteria; adjunct cultures; secondary microbiota; cheese quality
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Microbiology)
Storage and Shelf-Life Assessment of Food Products: 2nd Edition
edited by
submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1771 | Submission Open
Keywords: food storage; shelf-life assessment; food safety; food quality; food sustainability; food industry; storage parameters; preservation techniques; packaging innovations
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Packaging and Preservation)
Postharvest Technologies to Enhance Food Quality and Safety submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 1457 | Submission Open
Keywords: postharvest technology; food loss and waste; food quality; food safety; food preservation; cold chain management; edible coating; microbial contamination; smart packaging
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Quality and Safety)
Recent Advances in Extraction Technologies and Health Benefits of Bioactive Compounds from Foods
edited by
submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1247 | Submission Open
Keywords: bioactive compounds; extraction technologies; supercritical fluid extraction; ultrasound-assisted extraction; microwave-assisted extraction; enzyme-assisted extraction; functional foods; antioxidant activity; chronic disease prevention; green extraction; nutraceuticals; pharmaceuticals; complementary therapeutic effects; biological functions; signal transduction pathway; response surface methodology; mechanisms of action
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Nutrition)
Probiotics and Prebiotics in Food: Advances and Latest Trends
edited by , Katarzyna Neffe-Skocińska and
submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 809 | Submission Open
Keywords: biotics; probiotics; prebiotics; postbiotics; synbiotics; food; microbiota; fiber; precision nutrition; precision probiotics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Microbiology)
Food Additives in Meat Products: Fortification, Dietary Exposure, and Safety Assessment submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 686 | Submission Open
Keywords: meat product additives; fortification; additive dietary exposure; meat products’ safety; nutritional enhancement meat products
(This special issue belongs to the Section Meat)
Evaluating the Texture, Physical and Chemical Properties, and Sensory Characteristics of Livestock and Poultry Meat
edited by Li Chen and
submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 571 | Submission Open
Keywords: meat quality; physicochemical properties; texture profile; sensory evaluation; processing suitability; smart sensory evaluation; machine learning applications; food big data
(This special issue belongs to the Section Meat)
Advances in Post-Harvest Technologies and Comprehensive Evaluation of Quality in Fresh and Processed Fruits and Vegetables
edited by and Nishant Kumar
submission deadline 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 506 | Submission Open
Keywords: fruits and vegetables; post-harvest processing; robotic harvesting; quality preservation techniques; novel processing; innovative technologies; biodegradable film; quality and safety; sensory aspects; food sustainability
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
Bioactive Compounds in Foods: New and Novel Sources, Characterization, Strategies and Applications (Second Edition)
edited by and
submission deadline 31 May 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 349 | Submission Open
Keywords: food bioactive compounds; novel sources; characterization techniques; extraction and purification; bioavailability; stabilization strategies; functional foods; microbial biosynthesis; agricultural by-product valorization; health-promoting effects
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Nutrition)
Sustainable Brewing: Innovations in Adjuncts, Flavor Recovery, and Technologies
edited by Juliana Bonametti Olivato, Marianne A. Shirai and
submission deadline 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 344 | Submission Open
Keywords: sustainability beer; byproduct; circular economy; upcycling; value-addition; biorefinery
(This special issue belongs to the Section Drinks and Liquid Nutrition)
Advanced Polyphenol Research: Enhancing the Health Benefits of Polyphenols in Plant-Based Foods
edited by Baoshan Sun
submission deadline 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 264 | Submission Open
Keywords: polyphenols; plant-based foods; health; nutrition delivery; nanotechnology; gut microbiota; analysis; safety assessment
Microbe-Mediated Enhancement of Food Fermentation and Bioactive Properties in Traditional Foods submission deadline 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 249 | Submission Open
Keywords: lactic acid bacteria; yeasts; Bacillus; acetic acid bacteria; food fermentation; bioactive compounds; biological activities; starter culture
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Microbiology)
Back to TopTop