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.

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Advanced Materials for Sustainable Food Packaging: Films, Coatings, Emulsions, and Gels
edited by Ying Chen, and Yi Yuan
submission deadline 15 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 47 | Submission Open
Keywords: polysaccharide; protein; films; coatings; hydrogels; emulsions; active packaging
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Packaging and Preservation)
From Feed to Fork: Nutritional and Technological Strategies to Enhance Meat Functionality and Sustainability submission deadline 18 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 675 | Submission Open
Keywords: meat quality; sustainable feed ingredients; alternative proteins; animal nutrition; meat functionality; bioactive compounds; muscle metabolism; food sustainability
(This special issue belongs to the Section Meat)
Eggs and Egg Products: Production, Processing, and Safety: 2nd Edition
edited by
submission deadline 18 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 68 | Submission Open
Keywords: eggs; egg products; processing; nutrition; functional properties; safety
Microorganisms in Meat Products: Emerging Roles and Novel Applications submission deadline 19 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 68 | Submission Open
Keywords: meat and meat products; microbiota; microbes; Lactobacillus; lactic acid bacteria; probiotic; postbiotics; bacteriocins; omics technologies
(This special issue belongs to the Section Meat)
Advances in Beneficial Food Microorganisms: Isolation, Identification, Characterization and Applications: 2nd Edition
edited by Xiaomin Li and Ling Zhang
submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 8245 | Submission Open
Keywords: microbiomes; metagenomes; enzyme engineering; probiotics; expolysaccharides; aromatic compounds; pigments; vitamins; biodegradation; food fermentation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Microbiology)
Fish and Aquatic Products: Processing, Preservation and Quality Analysis
edited by Shota Tanimoto and Yuko Murata
submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 4895 | Submission Open
Keywords: enzyme; extractive components; flavor; lipid oxidation; microbe; quality control; quality deterioration; taste; texture; volatile organic compounds
(This special issue belongs to the Section Foods of Marine Origin)
Food Design for Enhancing Quality and Sensory Attributes
edited by and Nikola Tomic
submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2214 | Submission Open
Keywords: food quality; food packaging; eating utensils; sensory characterization; acceptance and emotional responses; food product design; design for food
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Quality and Safety)
Modern Technologies for Extending Shelf-Life and Improving Quality of Moderately Processed Foods: Challenges and Innovations submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1653 | Submission Open
Keywords: unprocessed/minimally processed food/moderately processed foods; enzymes activity and enzymatic browning; pro-health properties; modern preservative technologies; natural anti-microbiological agents; food waste reduction; advanced packaging technologies
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
Innovative Processing Technologies and Their Impact on the Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Fruits and Fruit By-Products
edited by Róża Biegańska-Marecik and
submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1518 | Submission Open
Keywords: fruit processing technologies; physicochemical properties of fruits; sensory analysis of processed fruits; fruit by-product valorization; bioactive compounds in fruits; sustainable food processing; thermal and non-thermal processing; functional ingredients; consumer perception of fruit products
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
Chemical Composition, Authenticity, and Nutritional Value of Honey and Honeybee Products submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1202 | Submission Open
Keywords: honey authentication; adulteration; physicochemical profile; bioactivity; storage; stability and quality
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Nutrition)
Key Technologies for Fruit and Vegetable Preservation: Pre-Harvest Processing and Post-Harvest Management
edited by Zhong-Gao Jiao
submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 458 | Submission Open
Keywords: fruit and vegetables; pre-harvest treatment; postharvest storage; preservation techniques; quality; nutrition; mechanism; pathogen control; shelf life
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Packaging and Preservation)
Exploring Natural Antimicrobials and Antioxidants: Mechanisms and Applications in Enhancing Food Quality and Safety
edited by Irving Israel Ruiz-López, Carlos Enrique Ochoa Velasco and
submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 183 | Submission Open
Keywords: natural antimicrobials; natural antioxidants; food preservation; food safety; food quality; functional foods; bioactive compounds; edible coatings and films; processing effects; shelf-life extension; sustainable food systems
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Quality and Safety)
Food Emulsion Design: Rheology, Stability, and Applications submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 101 | Submission Open
Keywords: emulsion; delivery system; encapsulation; bioactive components; emulsion gels; rheological behavior; Pickering emulsions; food nutrition; intestinal delivery and absorption
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Physics and (Bio)Chemistry)
Application and Safety of Edible Films in Food Packaging
edited by , Qiping Zhan and
submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 92 | Submission Open
Keywords: edible film; food packaging; biological raw; safety and application; food spoilage
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Packaging and Preservation)
Bioactive Polysaccharides: Extraction Strategies, Structural Features, and Functional Roles
edited by and
submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 89 | Submission Open
Keywords: bioactive polysaccharides; extraction strategies; structural features; functional roles; structure-function relationship; modification; application
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Physics and (Bio)Chemistry)
Milk and Dairy Products: Bioactive Compounds, Microorganisms and Health submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 86 | Submission Open
Keywords: milk; dairy product; bioactive components; prebiotics and probiotics; fermented dairy products
(This special issue belongs to the Section Dairy)
Postharvest Technologies for Fresh Fruit and Vegetable: Developments for Loss Reduction During Handling and Storage—2nd Edition
edited by and Yongjin Qiao
submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 86 | Submission Open
Keywords: post-harvest biology; post-harvest technological innovations; innovations in equipment; packaging; smart label; post-harvest handling and storage; chain management
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Packaging and Preservation)
Applications of Mass Spectrometry in Food Analysis
edited by and Elsa Mecha
submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 79 | Submission Open
Keywords: mass spectrometry; food analysis; food security; bioactive compounds; flavor compounds; food authenticity; natural products; food metabolomics; food contaminants
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Analytical Methods)
Recent Trends in Designing Novel Foods: Nutritional Profiles and Consumer Perceptions: 2nd Edition submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 74 | Submission Open
Keywords: food and beverage development; innovation; food properties; sensorial analysis; novel processing technologies; consumer acceptance; foods for health and well-being; fortified foods and beverages; alternative proteins; clean label trends
(This special issue belongs to the Section Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods)
Agroindustrial and Forest Bioactives and Biocompounds: From Sourcing to Industrial Use in Food submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 60 | Submission Open
Keywords: agro-industry; bioactive compound; biocompound; formulation; food; food additive; food ingredient; fermentation; green extraction; hydrolysis
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
Insights into the Mechanisms of Higher-Order Structure Formation in Honey and Its Impact on Functional and Rheological Properties Using Other Foods as Models
edited by
submission deadline 20 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 52 | Submission Open
Keywords: honey; royal jelly; bee bread; beer; milk; coffee; food supramolecular assembly; melanoidins; protein– polyphenol; protein– protein; protein– polyphenol– carbohydrate complexe formations; noncovalent and covalent bonding; food matrix effects; rheology; antibacterial; antioxidant; and anti-inflammatory activities in honey; changes in antimicrobial; antioxidant; or anti-inflammatory activities due to molecular complexation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods)
Microorganisms in Fermented Foods: Diversity, Function, and Safety submission deadline 25 Jun 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 9084 | Submission Open
Keywords: fermentation; functional; microorganisms; lactic acid bacteria
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Microbiology)
Meat and Meat Products: Quality, Nutrition, Safety and Shelf-Life submission deadline 25 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 120 | Submission Open
Keywords: microbiology of meat and meat products; pathogens in meat and meat products; safety application of meat and meat products; sensorial properties of meat and meat products; functional meat products; process contaminants; shelf-life applications of meat and meat products; packaging applications of meat and meat products
(This special issue belongs to the Section Meat)
Flavor, Palatability, and Consumer Acceptance of Foods: Second Edition
edited by
submission deadline 25 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 80 | Submission Open
Keywords: flavor chemistry; perception; consumer acceptance; sensory characteristics; biosensors; food processing
(This special issue belongs to the Section Sensory and Consumer Sciences)
Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Properties of Bioactive Compounds from Foods
edited by , Dragana Tomanić and
submission deadline 26 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 102 | Submission Open
Keywords: bioactive compounds; natural antimicrobials; antioxidants; food safety; nutraceuticals; food preservation; phytochemicals; polyphenols; essential oils; peptides; edible coatings; active packaging
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Quality and Safety)
Precision Nutrition and Health Foods
edited by , and José Pedraza Chaverrí
submission deadline 26 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 98 | Submission Open
Keywords: nutrition precision; novel foods; functional foods; nutraceutical foods; bio-accessibility
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Nutrition)
New Advances in Chemical Analysis and Detection of Food Packaging, Food Contact Materials, and Food Contaminants submission deadline 26 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 57 | Submission Open
Keywords: food safety; food packaging; food contact materials (FCMs); chemical contaminants; migration analysis; analytical chemistry; sensors and biosensors; mass spectrometry; detection methods; non-intentionally added substances (NIASs)
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Packaging and Preservation)
Emerging Trends in Food Microbiology and Food Safety
edited by
submission deadline 28 Jun 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3785 | Submission Open
Keywords: food microbiology; food safety; rapid detection; omics technologies; natural antimicrobials; microbiome; fermentation; antimicrobial resistance; One Health; emerging food sectors
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Microbiology)
Seafood Components and Functional Characteristics
edited by , and
submission deadline 29 Jun 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3309 | Submission Open
Keywords: seafood; marine fish; bioactive compounds; processing and extraction; aquaculture; functional characteristics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Foods of Marine Origin)
Identification and Functional Study of Bioactive Components in Seafood
edited by Grzegorz Tokarczyk, Grzegorz Bienkiewicz and Katarzyna Felisiak
submission deadline 29 Jun 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 773 | Submission Open
Keywords: seafood; aquaculture; fishery; functional marine foods; bioactive compounds; biotechnology
(This special issue belongs to the Section Foods of Marine Origin)
Fluorescence Sensing of Chemical Hazardous Factors in Foodstuffs
edited by Qin Hu and
submission deadline 29 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 146 | Submission Open
Keywords: fluorescence spectroscopy; hazardous chemicals; rapid detection; method validation; food analysis
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Analytical Methods)
Impact of Processing Technologies on Food Quality and Sensory Properties—2nd Edition submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 6 articles | Viewed by 16230 | Submission Open
Keywords: new and functional ingredients; processing technologies; food quality; sensory properties; consumer acceptance; consumer emotion; purchase intent
(This special issue belongs to the Section Sensory and Consumer Sciences)
Food Waste as Ingredients in Functional Food Development: Sources, Extractions and Functionality submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 7 articles | Viewed by 14769 | Submission Open
Keywords: food waste valorisation; functional food ingredients; bioactive compound extraction; nutritional sustainability; the circular economy in food systems; by-product utilisation; functional food development; green extraction technologies; waste-to-wealth strategies; food industry innovation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods)
Edible Insects: Safety, Sustainability, and Potential Applications in Food Systems and Bioproducts submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 5 articles | Viewed by 12913 | Submission Open
Keywords: sustainable food systems; environmental impacts; alternative protein sources; circular bioeconomy; industrial applications; bioproducts; sustainable insect production; sustainable practices
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Security and Sustainability)
Advancements in Processing and Value Addition of Underutilized Edible Plants: Extraction, Analysis, and Bioavailability of Phenolic Compounds
edited by and Roberto da Silva
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 12194 | Submission Open
Keywords: edible plants; phenolic compounds; extraction techniques; analytical methods; bioactivity; bioavailability; functional foods; processing optimization; structural identification; sustainability
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
Advances in Plant-Based Foods: From Sustainable Production to Functional Applications submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 4 articles | Viewed by 6431 | Submission Open
Keywords: plant-based foods; functional foods; bioactive compounds; sustainable food systems; food processing; nutritional quality; public health; food innovation; alternative proteins; health-promoting ingredients
(This special issue belongs to the Section Plant Foods)
Composite Edible Films and Coatings from Food-Grade Biopolymers
edited by , and Marianne A. Shirai
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 4179 | Submission Open
Keywords: shelf life extension; active films/ coatings; smart films/ coatings; food safety; food quality; bioactive compounds; compounds release kinetics; by-products
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Packaging and Preservation)
Novel Processing Technologies for Improving Quality and Storage Stability of Food
edited by Marc Regier
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3972 | Submission Open
Keywords: non-thermal techniques; mild thermal techniques; high-pressure processing (HPP); pulsed electric fields (PEF); cold plasma; ultrasound; microwaves; superheated steam drying (SSD)
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
Membranes for Innovative Bio-Food Processing submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3342 | Submission Open
Keywords: membrane fabrication; food-grade membrane materials; membrane technology; pressure-driven processes; electrically driven processes; electrodialysis; ultrafiltration/nanofiltration/microfiltration/reverse osmosis; separation/purification; food; biotechnological or biopharmaceutical sectors; bioactive molecules; ecoefficiency; circular economy; valorization of co-products or by-products; industrial wastewater treatment; water reduction; zero waste membrane process; life cycle assessment; food safety enhancement; shelf-life stability; contaminant removal; pathogen control
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
New Research in Brewing: Ingredients, Brewing and Quality Improvement
edited by
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2853 | Submission Open
Keywords: beer; brewery; beer adjuncts; beer elaboration; beer analysis; beer chemistry; beer yeast; beer polyphenols; craft beer
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Biotechnology)
Emerging Trends in Greener, Safer, and More Sustainable Food Packaging submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2465 | Submission Open
Keywords: food packaging; biopolymers; coatings; packaging sustainability; active packaging; intelligent packaging
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Packaging and Preservation)
Hyperspectral Imaging and Other Nondestructive Methods for Analyzing Food Quality
edited by
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2345 | Submission Open
Keywords: food quality; nondestructive detection; hyperspectral imaging; spectral analysis; sensory sensing; chemometrics; machine learning
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Analytical Methods)
Nutritional Manipulation, Composition Analysis, and Sensory Evaluation of Meat
edited by Miao Zhang and
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2320 | Submission Open
Keywords: meat quality; sensory evaluation; nutritional values; novel technologies; ultra-processing; physicochemical properties
(This special issue belongs to the Section Meat)
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry in Food Analysis: Development and Applications submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1797 | Submission Open
Keywords: food analysis; food control; food safety; liquid chromatography; mass spectrometry; nutrients; contaminants
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Analytical Methods)
Edible Fats and Oils: Composition, Properties and Nutrition submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1672 | Submission Open
Keywords: edible oils; fatty acid composition; lipid oxidation; bioactive lipids; nutritional properties; food processing; oil stability; health effects; lipid analysis; dietary fats
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Physics and (Bio)Chemistry)
Food Functional Ingredient Encapsulation and Delivery System (Microcapsules, Nanoemulsions, Colloidal Particles, Emulsions)
edited by and Yufan Sun
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1510 | Submission Open
Keywords: functional food components; encapsulation technology; delivery systems; microcapsules; nanoemulsions; colloidal particles; bioavailability; targeted delivery; digestive characteristics; storage stability  
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
Applications of Rapid Non-Destructive Technology in Food Quality and Safety Detection
edited by and
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1360 | Submission Open
Keywords: perishable foods (meat; dairy; seafood); fresh produce (fruits; vegetables); contaminant detection (chemical; microbial); shelf-life prediction; hyperspectral imaging (HSI); spectroscopy (NIRS; Raman; FTIR; etc.); laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy; machine learning/AI in food analysis; computer vision and image processing; electronic nose/e-tongue
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
Converting Food Waste into Value-Added Products (Second Edition) submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1211 | Submission Open
Keywords: food waste; fruit and vegetable pomace; physico-chemical characterization of waste; waste valorization; life cycle; functional food; zero waste concept; waste to wealth; value-added products
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)
Food System Resiliency and Climate Change
edited by Carolyn Dimitri
submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 840 | Submission Open
Keywords: climate change; food systems; inequality; food justice; geopolitics; food sovereignty; social costs; biodiversity; organic food and farming
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Security and Sustainability)
Machine Learning-Driven Strategies for Pathogen Detection and Food Safety Management submission deadline 30 Jun 2026 | Viewed by 447 | Submission Open
Keywords: machine learning (ML) pathogen detection; food safety; pathogen monitoring; disease severity; artificial intelligence health solutions; food safety risk assessment
(This special issue belongs to the Section Food Quality and Safety)
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