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Horticulturae
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Biotechnological Approaches and Technology Processes Used in the Agro-Industry to...
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Biotechnological Approaches and Technology Processes Used in the Agro-Industry to Create Value-Added Products

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Processed Horticultural Products".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2025 | Viewed by 2535

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Maria Dolores Muy-Rangel

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo (CIAD) A.C., Subsede Culiacán, Carretera Culiacán a El Dorado Km 5.5, Culiacán C.P. 80110, Sinaloa, Mexico
Interests: nutritional labeling; food quality, development of new products for the agricultural, livestock, and fishing sectors; postharvest handling of fruits and vegetables

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The maximization of agricultural production as a primary or value-added product is necessary for the years of change we face.

However, more than 30% of primary production is diverted into alternative uses (value-added products). To maximize the utilization of agricultural products in their primary (fresh) phase, experts in primary farm production are invited to conduct and publish research related to value-added alternatives, ranging from the use of wax to packaging, pre-cut and dehydrated foods, beverages, nutrition bars, etc.; this research can occur in collaboration with food technologists, who understand recent lifestyle changes, with demand for healthy, easy to handle, and sensorily appealing food increasing.

The industrialization of food guarantees the presence of out-of-season products by converting fresh raw material into a more stable, available, and commercial product; it also contributes to food security and environmental protection. Your research could significantly impact the agro-industry, including producers and marketers of agricultural products. Thus, we invite you to publish research on the application of biotechnological or technological processes to strengthen these sectors.

Prof. Dr. Maria Dolores Muy-Rangel
Guest Editor

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. Horticulturae is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2200 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

  • biomass-vegetable
  • processing
  • quality
  • technology
  • value added
  • new products

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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32 pages, 3198 KiB  
Article
Shaping the Future of Horticulture: Innovative Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, and Robotic Automation Through a Bibliometric Lens
by Maria Magdalena Poenaru, Liviu Florin Manta, Claudia Gherțescu and Alina Georgiana Manta
Horticulturae 2025, 11(5), 449; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11050449 - 22 Apr 2025
Viewed by 820
Abstract
This study conducts a bibliometric and content analysis based on publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection, aiming to map the evolution and key themes in horticultural research in the context of technological innovation and sustainability. The results reveal a strong [...] Read more.
This study conducts a bibliometric and content analysis based on publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection, aiming to map the evolution and key themes in horticultural research in the context of technological innovation and sustainability. The results reveal a strong orientation toward digitalization and automation, particularly through the integration of artificial intelligence, mechatronic systems, and sensor-based monitoring in crop management. In the field of biotechnology, keywords such as gene expression, genetic diversity, and micropropagation reflect a sustained research interest in improving crop resilience and disease resistance through genetic and in vitro propagation techniques. Furthermore, concepts such as environmental control, soilless culture, energy efficiency, and co-generation highlight the focus on optimizing growing conditions and integrating renewable energy sources into protected horticultural systems. The geographical distribution of studies highlights increased academic output in countries like India and regions of sub-Saharan Africa, reflecting a global interest in transferring advanced technologies to vulnerable areas. Moreover, collaboration networks are dominated by leading institutions such as Wageningen University, which act as hubs for knowledge diffusion. The findings suggest that future research should prioritize the development of durable, energy-efficient horticultural technologies adapted to various agro-climatic zones. It is recommended that policymakers and stakeholders support interdisciplinary research initiatives, promote knowledge transfer mechanisms, and ensure equitable access to innovation for smallholder farmers and emerging economies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnological Approaches and Technology Processes Used in the Agro-Industry to Create Value-Added Products)
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32 pages, 1283 KiB  
Article
Synthesis and Application of Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADESs) for Upcycling Horticulture Residues
by Udodinma Jude Okeke, Matteo Micucci, Dasha Mihaylova and Achille Cappiello
Horticulturae 2025, 11(4), 439; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11040439 - 19 Apr 2025
Viewed by 260
Abstract
Upcycling horticulture residues offers a sustainable solution to reduce environmental impact, maximize resource utilization, mitigate climate change, and contribute to the circular economy. We synthesized and characterized 14 natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) and applied them to upcycle horticulture residues, offering an innovative [...] Read more.
Upcycling horticulture residues offers a sustainable solution to reduce environmental impact, maximize resource utilization, mitigate climate change, and contribute to the circular economy. We synthesized and characterized 14 natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) and applied them to upcycle horticulture residues, offering an innovative valorization approach. Using an initial many-factors-at-a-time (MFAT) screening followed by a rotatable central composite response surface methodology (RCCRSM) for optimization, quadratic models fitted the response data for all the synthesized NADESs given: TPC (R2 = 0.984, p < 0.0001), TFC (R2 = 0.9999, p < 0.0001), AA-CUPRAC (R2 = 0.918, p < 0.0001), FRAP (R2 = 1.000, p < 0001), and DPPH (R2 = 0.9992, p < 0.0001). An ultrasound temperature of 45 °C, extraction time of 5 min, solvent volume of 25 mL, and solvent concentration of 90% (v/v) were considered the optimal conditions for achieving maximum desirability (0.9936) for TPC yield. For TFC and CUPRAC, the optimal conditions were 30 °C, 5 min, 25 mL, and 90% (v/v), with maximum desirability values of 0.9003 and 1.00, respectively. The maximum desirability for FRAP (0.9605) was achieved under conditions of 45 °C, 25 min, 25 mL, and 50%, while DPPH had a maximum desirability of 0.9313, with 50 °C, 15 min, 15 mL, and 70% (v/v) as the optimized conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnological Approaches and Technology Processes Used in the Agro-Industry to Create Value-Added Products)
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18 pages, 2992 KiB  
Article
Lycopene and Other Bioactive Compounds’ Extraction from Tomato Processing Industry Waste: A Comparison of Ultrasonication Versus a Conventional Stirring Method
by Konstantinos Mavridis, Nikolaos Todas, Dimitrios Kalompatsios, Vassilis Athanasiadis and Stavros I. Lalas
Horticulturae 2025, 11(1), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11010071 - 10 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1058
Abstract
The tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is a prominent fruit in Mediterranean countries with established biological activities for consumers. Given the widespread distribution of the fruit and its large production, the need to utilize the by-products seems imperative. With a view to valorizing [...] Read more.
The tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is a prominent fruit in Mediterranean countries with established biological activities for consumers. Given the widespread distribution of the fruit and its large production, the need to utilize the by-products seems imperative. With a view to valorizing the main carotenoid of tomato processing industry waste, lycopene, as well as other bioactive compounds (i.e., polyphenols), the optimization of a green extraction method involving ultrasound-assisted bath extraction (UBAE) was carried out. The results showed that the optimized UBAE technique achieved substantial yields of total carotenoids (420.8 μg of lycopene equivalents per gram of dry weight (dw)) and total polyphenols (2.62 mg of gallic acid equivalents per gram of dw). Flavonoid naringin (0.48 mg/g dw) and non-flavonoid coniferyl alcohol (0.32 mg/g dw) were the most abundant identified polyphenols. However, comparison with a conventional stirring extraction revealed that the latter technique marked double figures in all assays, including antioxidant activity assays. The study revealed that UBAE was not a preferable technique for recovering carotenoids because of the possible degradation of labile compounds found in tomato processing industry waste. Given that the extraction solvent was pure ethanol, the study established a foundation for the development of a unique lycopene-enriched product in the food industry. It is essential to conduct additional studies using alternative food-grade solvents or other environmentally friendly extraction methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biotechnological Approaches and Technology Processes Used in the Agro-Industry to Create Value-Added Products)
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