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Featured Review Papers in Food Chemistry—2nd Edition
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Featured Review Papers in Food Chemistry—2nd Edition

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 7985

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Fei Tao

grade E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Food Microbial Technology, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Interests: food chemistry; food analysis; food inspection; microbiology; fermentation; synthetic biology; metabolism

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to collect high-quality review papers in the field of food chemistry research, for which the Editorial Board Members of the journal Molecules, Section “Food Chemistry”, and other researchers working in the field are invited to contribute.

Following the great success of the 1st Edition, we are now launching the 2nd Edition of this Special Issue. You can find the first edition here:

https://www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules/special_issues/6FL8Z81451

We are welcoming proposals for review articles in this dynamically developing discipline in relation to fundamental and applied research in all food-related domains. In particular, reviews on the most recent analytical approaches to extract, detect, and quantify food bioactive and toxic components; bioaccessibility; and bioavailability studies on the development of food supplements and functional foods will be taken into consideration. Moreover, other topics that will be considered are food safety, food physicochemical properties, food packaging, and the recycling of agro-food waste for non-nutritional/food use.

We invite and encourage all research groups covering various areas of food chemistry to make contributions to this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Fei Tao
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 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. Molecules 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 2700 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

  • food analysis
  • food additives
  • food supplements
  • functional foods
  • physicochemical properties
  • agro-food wastes recycling
  • bioaccessibility and bioavailability
  • food stability
  • food security

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Review

19 pages, 1755 KB  
Review
Phlorotannins from Phaeophyceae: Structural Diversity, Multi-Target Bioactivity, Pharmacokinetic Barriers, and Nanodelivery System Innovation
by Joanna Harasym, Patryk Słota and Ewa Pejcz
Molecules 2025, 30(24), 4733; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30244733 - 11 Dec 2025
Viewed by 158
Abstract
Phlorotannins, a unique group of polyphenolic compounds derived exclusively from brown macroalgae (Phaeophyceae), have gained substantial scientific and industrial interest due to their structural diversity and multifaceted bioactivities. These marine metabolites, composed of phloroglucinol units linked through various C–C and C–O–C bonds, exhibit [...] Read more.
Phlorotannins, a unique group of polyphenolic compounds derived exclusively from brown macroalgae (Phaeophyceae), have gained substantial scientific and industrial interest due to their structural diversity and multifaceted bioactivities. These marine metabolites, composed of phloroglucinol units linked through various C–C and C–O–C bonds, exhibit broad-spectrum antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anticancer, and neuroprotective effects. Despite their promising in vitro efficacy, large-scale application remains hindered by three critical translational barriers: (i) extreme natural variability in phlorotannin content driven by ecological and seasonal factors, complicating raw material standardization; (ii) physicochemical instability and poor aqueous solubility resulting in limited oral bioavailability; and (iii) insufficient development of advanced delivery systems to ensure controlled release and targeted bioactivity. This comprehensive review integrates ecological, biochemical, and technological perspectives to establish a unified framework for translating phlorotannin research toward clinical and commercial realization. It systematically examines biosynthetic regulation, structural classification, extraction and purification methods, bioactivity mechanisms, pharmacokinetic barriers, and toxicological safety considerations. The review concludes by highlighting future research priorities essential for achieving industrial scalability, formulation reproducibility, and regulatory acceptance in marine bioactive development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Featured Review Papers in Food Chemistry—2nd Edition)
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Graphical abstract

25 pages, 3800 KB  
Review
Pea Protein Isolates: From Extraction to Functionality
by Joanna Harasym, Oliwia Paroń and Ewa Pejcz
Molecules 2025, 30(23), 4650; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30234650 - 3 Dec 2025
Viewed by 486
Abstract
Pea protein isolates (PPIs) from Pisum sativum have emerged as strategic ingredients at the interface of nutrition, sustainability, and functional food design. This review synthesizes advances linking isolation procedures with molecular structure and techno-functional performance. We compare alkaline extraction–isoelectric precipitation with wet and [...] Read more.
Pea protein isolates (PPIs) from Pisum sativum have emerged as strategic ingredients at the interface of nutrition, sustainability, and functional food design. This review synthesizes advances linking isolation procedures with molecular structure and techno-functional performance. We compare alkaline extraction–isoelectric precipitation with wet and dry fractionation, as well as green/fermentation-assisted methods, highlighting the purity–functionality trade-offs driven by denaturation, aggregation, and the removal of anti-nutritional factors. We relate globulin composition (vicilin/legumin ratio), secondary/tertiary structure, and disulfide chemistry to interfacial activity, solubility, gelation thresholds, and long-term emulsion stability. Structure-guided engineering strategies are critically evaluated, including enzymatic hydrolysis, deamidation, transglutaminase cross-linking, ultrasound, high-pressure homogenization, pH shifting, cold plasma, and selected chemical/glycation approaches. Application case studies cover high-moisture texturization for meat analogues, emulsion and Pickering systems, fermented dairy alternatives, edible films, and bioactive peptide-oriented nutraceuticals. We identify bottlenecks—weak native gel networks, off-flavors, acidic pH performance, and batch variability—and outline process controls and synergistic modifications that close functionality gaps relative to animal proteins. Finally, we discuss sustainability and biorefinery opportunities that valorize soluble peptide streams alongside globulin-rich isolates. By integrating extraction, structure, and function, the review provides a roadmap for designing PPI with predictable, application-specific performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Featured Review Papers in Food Chemistry—2nd Edition)
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Graphical abstract

30 pages, 1043 KB  
Review
In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory and Anticancer Potential of Pecan Nut (Carya illinoinensis) Kernel Extracts: Modulation of Cell Signaling Pathways—A Scoping Review
by Ifeoma Roseline Ezeanolue, Chiugo Francisca Ezeanolue, Pierluigi Plastina, Francieli Moro Stefanello, Rejane Giacomelli Tavares and Roselia Maria Spanevello
Molecules 2025, 30(21), 4310; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30214310 - 5 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 639
Abstract
This scoping review synthesized evidence from 2015 to 2025 on the anti-inflammatory and anticancer potential of pecan (Carya illinoinensis) kernel extracts, focusing on bioactive composition and cell signaling pathway modulation. Pecan kernels contain diverse phenolic compounds including gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, [...] Read more.
This scoping review synthesized evidence from 2015 to 2025 on the anti-inflammatory and anticancer potential of pecan (Carya illinoinensis) kernel extracts, focusing on bioactive composition and cell signaling pathway modulation. Pecan kernels contain diverse phenolic compounds including gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, and ellagic acid, along with tocopherols and unsaturated fatty acids, exhibiting significant cultivar-dependent variation influenced by ripening stage, processing conditions, and orchard management practices. In vitro studies demonstrate that kernel extracts possess substantial antioxidant capacity and exert antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects against various human cancer cell lines, including colon cancer cells, with evidence of apoptosis induction. Extraction methodologies significantly influence bioactive compound recovery and biological activity, with both lipid and phenolic fractions contributing to therapeutic potential. While current evidence highlights promising anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties mediated through modulation of apoptotic pathways, research remains predominantly limited to compositional analyses and in vitro models. Future investigations should elucidate specific molecular mechanisms, identify precise signaling pathway targets, conduct in vivo validation studies, and optimize processing conditions to maximize bioactive retention for potential therapeutic applications in cancer prevention and treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Featured Review Papers in Food Chemistry—2nd Edition)
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62 pages, 3542 KB  
Review
The Presence of Micro- and Nanoplastics in Food and the Estimation of the Amount Consumed Depending on Dietary Patterns
by Aleksandra Duda and Katarzyna Petka
Molecules 2025, 30(18), 3666; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30183666 - 9 Sep 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 6130
Abstract
Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are becoming an increasingly common environmental pollutant. They have been detected in fruit, vegetables, drinking water, seafood, meat, dairy products, and cereals, with particularly high levels often being found in processed foods. The presence of MNPs varies significantly depending [...] Read more.
Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are becoming an increasingly common environmental pollutant. They have been detected in fruit, vegetables, drinking water, seafood, meat, dairy products, and cereals, with particularly high levels often being found in processed foods. The presence of MNPs varies significantly depending on the type of food, geographical region, method of food preparation, and packaging materials used. Of the three main routes of human exposure to MNPs, ingestion is the most important. This article provides a comprehensive review of food contamination by MNPs, including an assessment of the impact of various factors on the MNP abundance. For the first time, it also evaluates the differences in MNP intake among individuals following three typical European dietary patterns: the Mediterranean, Western, and lacto-ovo-vegetarian. The lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet was found to result in the highest MNP intake (69.1 × 106 particles/day), almost doubling that of the other tested patterns. This is mainly due to the very high proportion of fruit, vegetables, legumes, and nuts in daily meals. Taking into account both health concerns and MNP quantity consumed with meals (37.5 × 106 particles/day), the Mediterranean diet is the healthiest. The review also highlights the need to raise awareness of food-related sources of MNPs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Featured Review Papers in Food Chemistry—2nd Edition)
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