Advances in Food Proteins

Dear Colleagues,

Proteins are fundamental components of the human diet, serving not only as essential nutrients but also as critical functional ingredients in food systems. In recent years, the global food industry has faced significant challenges driven by a growing population, changing consumer preferences, and the urgent need for more sustainable production methods. As a result, research into food proteins has expanded beyond traditional animal sources to include innovative plant- and insect-based, microbial, and lab-grown alternatives. Understanding the complex relationship between protein structure, processing, and biological functionality is key to developing the next generation of healthy and sustainable food products.

The significance of this field lies in its multidisciplinary nature, bridging the gaps between biochemistry, food technology, and nutrition. Current trends focus on improving the techno-functional properties of proteins—such as solubility, emulsification, and gelation—while ensuring high bioavailability and sensory acceptance. Furthermore, the application of green extraction technologies and the upcycling of agricultural by-products into high-value protein ingredients represent vital steps toward a circular bioeconomy.

This Special Issue aims to present and disseminate the most recent advances related to the isolation, characterization, and application of food proteins. We consider contributions addressing both fundamental research and practical applications that enhance our understanding of protein behavior in complex food matrices.

Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Innovative extraction and purification techniques for food proteins;
• Physicochemical and structural characterization of animal and alternative proteins;
• Techno-functional properties (emulsifying, foaming, and gelling) and their modifications;
• Nutritional value, digestibility, and bioavailability of protein sources;
• Bioactive peptides: identification, health benefits, and stability;
• Interactions of proteins with other food components (polysaccharides, polyphenols, and lipids);
• Impact of traditional and emerging processing technologies on protein quality;
• Sustainable protein sources: fungal, algal, and plant- and insect-based proteins;
• Development of protein-rich functional foods and meat analogs.

Dr. Przemysław Kowalczewski
Dr. Matteo Bordiga
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 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-anonymized 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.