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New Achievements and Challenges in Food Chemistry, 2nd Edition

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 2455

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Editors

Prof. Dr. Jie Chen

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Guest Editor

1. State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
2. International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
Interests: soy protein; food processing; bioactive compounds; meat product; dairy product; food storage
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Qiuming Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

1. State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
2. International Joint Laboratory on Food Safety, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
Interests: food enzyme; rational design; fermentation; MD simulation; flavour control; functional carbohydrates
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As the Guest Editor of this Special Issue, entitled “New Achievements and Challenges in Food Chemistry,” I am delighted to invite researchers and professionals to contribute their latest findings addressing the pressing challenges and innovative technological advancements in food production and processing. This Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge research in food processing innovations that enhance efficiency and sustainability, the development of alternative proteins to meet rising global nutritional demands, and the exploration of bioactive compounds for health promotion. We highly encourage submissions focusing on novel analytical methods that improve food safety assessments and quality control. Studies employing AI-assisted technologies for protein structure analysis, which can revolutionize food enzyme design and functionality, are particularly welcome. Additionally, research on flavor chemistry that enhances sensory attributes and consumer acceptance, as well as advancements in food storage techniques to extend shelf life and reduce waste, is of great interest. By bringing together a diverse array of interdisciplinary research, this Special Issue seeks to foster collaboration and propel the field of food chemistry forward.

Prof. Dr. Jie Chen
Dr. Qiuming Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

food processing innovations
alternative proteins
bioactive compounds
food safety
food storage
flavor chemistry
food enzyme design
AI-assisted technologies
novel analytical methods

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 1804 KB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation and Selection of Thermal Processing Conditions for Safety, Flavor Retention, and Shelf-Life Extension of Fermented Pickled Mustard Greens

by Qiuming Chen, Shikang Chen, Junjie Tong, Zhaojun Wang, Maomao Zeng, Zhiyong He and Jie Chen

Molecules 2026, 31(13), 2289; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31132289 - 1 Jul 2026

Viewed by 264

Abstract

To address post-acidification, microbial contamination, and quality deterioration in fermented pickled mustard greens after fermentation, this study systematically evaluated the effects of thermal treatment on quality preservation, selected a preferred thermal processing condition from three kinetically designed treatments, and predicted product shelf life. Based on heat penetration curves and the thermal death kinetics of the target heat-resistant microorganism, Bacillus subtilis, three thermal processing conditions were established: 75 °C for 64 min, 85 °C for 19 min, and 95 °C for 17 min. The D-value of B. subtilis spores at 85 °C was 1.37 min, and the corresponding thermal treatments were designed according to a 2D reduction principle. HS-SPME-GC-MS analysis identified 84 volatile compounds, with isothiocyanates representing key contributors to the characteristic pungent aroma of mustard-based pickles. Sensory evaluation showed that the 85 °C treatment group achieved the best observed balance among pungency, refreshing aroma, mellow flavor, color, texture, and overall acceptability, whereas excessive heating at 95 °C promoted isothiocyanate loss and texture deterioration. During accelerated storage, the selected treatment inhibited post-acidification, maintained nitrite at a low level (<1 mg/kg), and delayed microbial and sensory deterioration. Integrating physicochemical indices, microbial populations, and sensory scores, the theoretical shelf life under refrigeration at 4 °C was predicted to be 170 days using the Q10 model. These findings provide practical guidance for selecting thermal processing conditions that balance microbial safety, flavor retention, and shelf-life extension in industrial fermented pickled mustard greens. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Achievements and Challenges in Food Chemistry, 2nd Edition)

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18 pages, 3101 KB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Different Fermentation Conditions on the Aroma-Active Compounds During New-Make Whisky Production Determined by GC-MS, GC×GC-O-MS, HPLC, and UPLC-MS

by Xiaoduo Ma, Lei Xing, Ranran Feng, Shumin Hu, Wei Yong, Tianyang Guo, Zhaoxia Yang and Huanlu Song

Molecules 2026, 31(12), 2138; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31122138 - 17 Jun 2026

Viewed by 537

Abstract

Whisky is well-known worldwide owing to its unique flavor, and its fermentation and distillation conditions have a significant effect on its aroma. In this paper, new-make spirits were prepared by four fermentation conditions (two distilling yeasts and two fermentation temperatures), and the different stages (wort, wash, low wine, and new-make spirit) of the samples were collected. The main aroma compounds and their precursors were initially determined in wort and wash samples by GC-MS, UPLC-MS and HPLC. Results showed that Strecker degradation, reduction, and esterification occurred during the fermentation process, leading to decreased contents of amino acids and increased contents of volatile esters, alcohols, and acids. Moreover, the two distilling yeasts exhibited their respective optimal fermentation temperatures. Then, the distillation process was evaluated by two-dimensional gas chromatography–olfactory–mass spectrometry (GC×GC-O-MS), and 74 aroma compounds were found in different stages of new-make whiskies fermented by the two distilling yeasts and one brewer’s yeast. The contents of most compounds were enhanced by at least ten times after two distillations, while the contents of some sulfur compounds decreased. Finally, the feature aroma-active compounds of each new-make whisky were identified according to rOAV. These results provided theoretical and methodological support for yeast selection and process control in whisky production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Achievements and Challenges in Food Chemistry, 2nd Edition)

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16 pages, 1796 KB

Open AccessArticle

Comprehensive Profiling of Triglycerides in Wild Eastern Mediterranean Echium Seed Oil Using Paternò–Büchi Modulated Lipidomics

by Manal Alhusban, Suha Telfah, Mohammad M. Al-Gharaibeh, Sanaa Bardaweel, Raghad Alkadri and Fang Wei

Molecules 2026, 31(3), 550; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31030550 - 4 Feb 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1132

Abstract

Currently, ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which have become popular as dietary supplements, are limited by a shortage in supply. Thus, finding safe, effective alternatives is crucial. Echium seed oil (ESO), rich in α-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3ω-3) and stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4ω-3), surpasses many other botanical seed oils. In this study, a pseudotargeted approach was applied to characterize the lipidomic profile of two unexplored Echium species from the Mediterranean region. Our findings established Echium glomeratum as a rich source of ω-3 fatty acids (FAs), exceeding many other species in both quality and quantity. E. glomeratum possesses different FAs and triglyceride (TG) profiles compared to E. judaeum, with the ω-3:ω-6 ratio being 3.5 and 1.3, respectively. This corresponds to higher quantities of ALA (45.50%) and SDA (12.59%) in E. glomeratum. Triglycerides (TGs) comprise 93% of the total lipid content in ESO. This study also profiled the most abundant TGs (50–60 carbons) from both species through comprehensive assignment of the olefination patterns. The E. glomeratum oil profile, containing a higher ω-3 PUFA concentration, was further screened for cytotoxic and antioxidant activities. Our preliminary results demonstrated that E. glomeratum ESO may significantly suppress colon cancer cell growth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Achievements and Challenges in Food Chemistry, 2nd Edition)

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