World Food Day—“Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow.”, 16 October 2026

Observed annually on 16 October, World Food Day sees collective action across 150 countries worldwide, in up to 50 languages, making it one of the most celebrated days of the UN calendar. Governments, municipalities, businesses, the media, the public and even youths come together to promote worldwide awareness of hunger and promote action for the future of food, people and the planet.

The 2026 theme, “Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.”, harmonizes future-focused solutions with traditional knowledge and inclusive methods to ensure food safety and diversity, and safeguard the planet for all future generations to come.

Reflecting this theme, MDPI journals in Biology and Life Sciences highlight research on the role that food plays in society, exploring molecular insights and their beneficial properties that shape modern food selection.

“Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Mushroom-Based Food Additives and Food Fortified with Them—Current Status and Future Perspectives”
by Vassilis Athanasiadis, Theodoros Chatzimitakos, Dimitrios Kalompatsios, Eleni Bozinou and Stavros I. Lalasá
Antioxidants 2025, 14(5), 519; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14050519

“Metabolites and Free Fatty Acids in Japanese Black Beef During Wet Aging”
by Shuji Ueda, Yuka Yoshida, Yuka Tateoka, Biniam Kebede, Masakazu Shinohara, Hiroki Nakanishi, Itsuko Fukuda and Yasuhito Shirai
Metabolites 2025, 15(2), 94; https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo15020094

“Antioxidant, Antithrombotic and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Amphiphilic Bioactives from Water Kefir Grains and Its Apple Pomace-Based Fermented Beverage”
by Dimitra Papadopoulou, Vasiliki Chrysikopoulou, Aikaterini Rampaouni, Christos Plakidis, Anna Ofrydopoulou, Katie Shiels, Sushanta Kumar Saha and Alexandros Tsouprasa
Antioxidants 2025, 14(2), 164; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14020164

“Coffee and Cocoa By-Products as Valuable Sources of Bioactive Compounds: The Influence of Ethanol on Extraction”
by Blanca Martínez-Inda, Nerea Jiménez-Moreno, Irene Esparza and Carmen Ancín-Azpilicueta
Antioxidants 2025, 14(1), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14010042

“The Role of Dietary Antioxidants, Food Supplements and Functional Foods for Energy Enhancement in Healthcare Professionals”
by Theodora Kalogerakou and Maria Antoniadou
Antioxidants 2024, 13(12), 1508; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13121508

“Exploration of High-Nutritional-Quality Vegetable Oil Blend with Enhanced Oxidative Stability as a Frying Medium Substitute for Palm Oil”
by Vassilis Athanasiadis, Theodoros Chatzimitakos, Dimitrios Kalompatsios, Eleni Bozinou and Stavros I. Lalas
Lipidology 2024, 1(1), 75-91; https://doi.org/10.3390/lipidology1010006

“Royal Jelly: Biological Action and Health Benefits”
by Nada Oršolić and Maja Jazvinšćak Jembrek
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(11), 6023; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25116023

“Hydrophilic and Lipophilic Antioxidants in Foods and Food Processing” Guest Editor: Dr. Volker Böhm Submission deadline: 15 January 2027	“Application and Progress of Molecular Biology Techniques in Food Science” Guest Editors: Dr. Bora Florin Dumitru and Dr. Ioana Andra Vlad Submission deadline: 28 February 2027
“Molecular Insight into Immunomodulation by Probiotics and Fermented Food Derivatives” Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Dawei Chen and Dr. Hengxian Qu Submission deadline: 28 February 2027	“Metabolite Profiling and Metabolic Pathways in the Food Industry” Guest Editor: Dr. Menekşe Bulut Submission deadline: 15 May 2027