Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
7.4
4.2
Journals
Molecules
Special Issues
Innovative Technologies for Functional Foods Development
molecules-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Molecules Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Innovative Technologies for Functional Foods Development

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 2036

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria Ciudad-Mulero

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Interests: food science and technology; plant food bioactive compounds; functional foods and ingredients
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Patricia Morales

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Interests: food science and technology; natural food matrix; food additives; functional foods and ingredients
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Virginia Fernández-Ruiz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department Nutrition and Food Science, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Interests: plant food bioactive compounds; chemical and sensory food analysis; nutrition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Functional foods provide disease-preventing and health-promoting effects when consumed as part of a balanced diet. In this context, functional foods, which contain components, nutrients, or bioactive compounds exerting selective beneficial effects on one or more functions of the organism, are widely distributed in the food market.

From a technological point of view, today, there is a great variability of procedures that allow for the development of functional foods. Apart from traditional technologies conventionally used in food processing, in recent decades, innovative technologies have emerged. These innovative technologies applied to functional food development include the extrusion process, high hydrostatic pressure, microencapsulation, and the use of edible films and coatings, among others.

In this Special Issue of Molecules, we would like to bring together papers dealing with the topic of Innovative technologies for functional food development. In broad terms, the study of the effect of these methods on phytochemicals present in functional foods coming from vegetables, fruits, cereals, and pulses, among others, and the study of the potential bioactivity (in vitro and in vivo), potential health effects, and reduction in disease risk, as well as effects on disease biomarkers, will be considered.

We welcome different types of manuscripts, including original research articles and up-to-date reviews (systematic reviews and meta-analyses). Topics may include the development of functional foods by applying innovative technologies, as well as the characterization of the developed food products in terms of their content of bioactive compounds and their bioactive properties.

Dr. Maria Ciudad-Mulero
Dr. Patricia Morales
Prof. Dr. Virginia Fernández-Ruiz
Guest Editors

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. 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

  • nutraceuticals
  • functional foods
  • plant ingredients
  • phytochemicals
  • health claims, in vitro and in vivo studies

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

16 pages, 2347 KiB  
Article
Valorization of Winemaking By-Products: White and Red Grape Seed Oils Improve Glucose Consumption and Uptake In Vitro
by Daniela Ganci, Federica Bellistrì, Manuela Mauro, Roberto Chiarelli, Francesco Longo, Serena Indelicato, Sergio Indelicato, Vito Armando Laudicina, Vincenzo Arizza, Mirella Vazzana and Claudio Luparello
Molecules 2025, 30(9), 1933; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30091933 - 26 Apr 2025
Viewed by 100
Abstract
The rising demand for alternative solutions to diabetes mellitus has prompted significant interest in the exploration of plant-derived anti-diabetic compounds, especially within a circular economy framework that seeks sustainable and profitable reuse options. In this context, red (RSGO) and white (WGSO) grape seed [...] Read more.
The rising demand for alternative solutions to diabetes mellitus has prompted significant interest in the exploration of plant-derived anti-diabetic compounds, especially within a circular economy framework that seeks sustainable and profitable reuse options. In this context, red (RSGO) and white (WGSO) grape seed oils, by-products of Sicilian vineyards, were prepared, analyzed for their fatty acid, polyphenol, carotenoid, and chlorophyll content, and evaluated for their glucose-lowering ability on HepG2 cells. Utilizing cytochemical techniques, flow cytometry, and protein blotting, we explored the effects of non-toxic oil dilutions on (i) glycogen storage, (ii) glucose consumption/uptake, (iii) GLUT-2, GLUT-4, and hepatocyte nuclear factor-1α (HNF1α) expression levels, and (iv) AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), AKT, and PKCζ phosphorylation states, which are involved in insulin-mediated and -independent regulation of GLUT-4 membrane exposure. RGSO and WGSO, despite adopting slightly varying molecular strategies, were both proven to be effective stimulators of glucose absorption and glycogenesis. Specifically, RSGO promoted GLUT-2 and GLUT-4 up-regulation, whereas the WGSO-induced effect was associated with an increase in GLUT-4 levels alone. Moreover, the oils activated both pathways responsible for GLUT-4 translocation. Therefore, these wine-making residues have substantial potential as anti-diabetic solutions, holding promise for integration into the biomedical and food sectors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Technologies for Functional Foods Development)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 3923 KiB  
Article
Synbiotic Microencapsulation of Lactobacillus Strains from Mexican Fermented Beverages for Enhanced Probiotic Functionality
by Morayma Ramírez-Damián, Cynthia Garfias-Noguez, Luis G. Bermúdez-Humarán and María Elena Sánchez-Pardo
Molecules 2025, 30(5), 1185; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30051185 - 6 Mar 2025
Viewed by 1014
Abstract
Synbiotics, which combine probiotics and prebiotics, represent an innovative approach to developing functional foods with enhanced health benefits compared to their individual components. This study focuses on the production of synbiotics through the microencapsulation of Lactobacillus strains isolated from traditional Mexican fermented beverages, [...] Read more.
Synbiotics, which combine probiotics and prebiotics, represent an innovative approach to developing functional foods with enhanced health benefits compared to their individual components. This study focuses on the production of synbiotics through the microencapsulation of Lactobacillus strains isolated from traditional Mexican fermented beverages, contributing to the advancement of technologies for functional food development. Three Lactobacillus strains (Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LM07, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LM19, and Levilactobacillus brevis LBH1070) were microencapsulated by spray-drying using a mixture of maltodextrin and gum arabic as wall materials and inulin as a prebiotic. The microencapsulation process achieved high survival rates (>90%), low moisture content (~5%), and low water activity (~0.3), ensuring long-term stability. Notably, the microencapsulated strains demonstrated improved tolerance to gastrointestinal conditions, enhanced adhesion properties, and increased antioxidant activity compared to non-microencapsulated strains. These results highlight the potential of microencapsulation as an innovative technology not only to preserve but also to enhance probiotic properties, facilitating the development of functional foods with improved health-promoting properties, extended shelf life, and stability at room temperature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Technologies for Functional Foods Development)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

13 pages, 903 KiB  
Article
Safety, Sensory Quality and Nutritional Value of Hybrid Meat Products Made from Turkey Meat and Red Beans Preserved with a Bioprotective Culture
by Małgorzata Karwowska, Patrycja Skwarek, Elżbieta Solska, Agata Nowaczyk, Andrzej Goławski, Przemysław Wojtaś and Dariusz M. Stasiak
Molecules 2025, 30(3), 691; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30030691 - 4 Feb 2025
Viewed by 544
Abstract
The current study assessed the quality and safety of hybrid meat products made from turkey meat and red beans with the addition of SAFEPRO® B-LC-20 protective cultures. The tested materials were hybrid products produced with turkey thigh muscles and red beans in [...] Read more.
The current study assessed the quality and safety of hybrid meat products made from turkey meat and red beans with the addition of SAFEPRO® B-LC-20 protective cultures. The tested materials were hybrid products produced with turkey thigh muscles and red beans in 100:0, 60:40, 50:50 and 40:60 ratios. During a 15-day storage period, research was carried out on the physicochemical and microbiological properties, antioxidant capacity, fatty acid profile and sensory characteristics. The results showed that the count of Enterobacteriaceae in hybrid meat products did not differ significantly depending on the formulation. The addition of red beans in a hybrid meat product formulation significantly increased the antioxidant activity of the products compared to a sample made of 100% meat. The samples with red beans were characterized by significantly lower values of n-6/n-3, UFA/SFA and PUFA/SFA compared to samples produced with turkey thigh muscles and red beans in a ratio of 100:0. In summary, the formulation combining turkey meat and beans in a ratio of 60:40 is recommended as optimal, enabling the creation of a safe hybrid meat product with properties similar to those of a full-meat product. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Technologies for Functional Foods Development)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop