Current Emerging Trends of Extraction and Encapsulation in Food, 2nd Edition
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 54
Special Issue Editor
Interests: novel foods; emulsion; colloids; encapsulation; extraction; biopolymers; biomaterials; bioactives
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The emerging area of bio-food science continues to promote the replacement of synthetic additives with natural, health-promoting compounds. This shift has significantly accelerated research into innovative extraction and encapsulation strategies aimed at preserving the structural and functional integrity of bioactive ingredients in complex food matrices. Recent progress in nonthermal, green, and sustainable extraction technologies, such as ultrasound-assisted extraction, supercritical CO2 extraction, subcritical water extraction, enzyme-assisted processes, high-pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, and cold plasma techniques, has provided safer, more efficient alternatives to conventional solvent-based methods. These approaches not only improve yield and purity but also reduce the environmental impact of extraction and the thermal degradation of sensitive compounds. On the encapsulation front, attention has shifted toward the design of advanced delivery systems, including micro- and nanoencapsulation, emulsion-based platforms, and lipid- or polysaccharide-based carriers, capable of protecting, stabilizing, and enabling the controlled release of bioactives under different food processing and storage conditions. Techniques such as spray drying, freeze drying, spray-freeze drying, and low-temperature encapsulation are increasingly being used to preserve encapsulants’ structure while supporting their compatibility with functional food systems.
This Special Issue encourages submissions exploring the integration of encapsulated bioactives into edible coatings, biodegradable packaging, and 3D-printed food products, presenting novel routes for the development of smart, sustainable, and personalized nutrition solutions. Contributions highlighting active packaging applications and the role of encapsulation in extending shelf life and improving targeted nutrient delivery are highly welcome. In addition, emerging analytical and detection techniques, such as biosensors, lab-on-a-chip systems, chromatographic profiling, and spectroscopic methods, enable the real-time tracking of encapsulated or extracted compounds throughout their processing and digestion. Studies assessing bioaccessibility, bioavailability, gastrointestinal stability, and the in vitro/in vivo performance of encapsulated compounds are particularly encouraged, especially when aligned with kinetic modeling or toxicity evaluations.
I warmly invite researchers, technologists, and professionals in academia and the industry to contribute their latest findings and perspectives to this dynamic field.
Dr. Seyed Mohammad Taghi Gharibzahedi
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- extraction
- encapsulation
- drying
- emulsion
- targeted delivery
- stability
- bioactive compounds
- nonthermal technologies
- bioavailability
- functional foods
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Related Special Issue
- Current Emerging Trends of Extraction and Encapsulation in Food in Molecules (11 articles)
