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Molecules
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Plant-Based Food Chemistry: Composition, Technological and Functional Quality
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Plant-Based Food Chemistry: Composition, Technological and Functional Quality

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 2146

Editors

Dr. Ana Novo Barros

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), Institute for Innovation, Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri-Food Production (Inov4Agro), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Interests: by-products; bioactive compounds; circular economy; industrial symbiosis; HLPC-MS; spectroscopic analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Katarzyna Sujka

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Food Technology and Assessment, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
Interests: cereals; bread enrichment; innovative food processing technologies; functional food; bioactive compounds

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant-based foods play a crucial role in nutrition due to their richness in bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, vitamins, and other phytochemicals, which are associated with health-promoting effects and the prevention of oxidative stress-related chronic and degenerative diseases. Although some plant-based foods are consumed raw, most undergo various degrees of processing, which can significantly affect their chemical composition, bioavailability, functional properties, and safety.

The final quality of plant-based foods is strongly dependent on both the intrinsic properties of raw materials and the technological processes applied during production, preservation, and storage. Therefore, the comprehensive characterization of chemical composition, structural features, bioaccessibility, and functional properties—together with an understanding of the impact of processing technologies—is essential for the evaluation of nutritional quality, safety, and innovation in food science and technology. This Special Issue aims to gather high-quality original research articles and reviews focusing on the chemistry of plant-based foods, including studies on molecular composition, processing-induced chemical changes, and the design of functional and sustainable food products. Contributions employing advanced analytical approaches—ranging from non-invasive spectroscopic techniques to chromatographic and mass spectrometry-based methods—are particularly welcome.

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

  • Chemical characterization of plant-based foods and ingredients;
  • Polyphenols, flavonoids, vitamins and other bioactive compounds;
  • Impact of processing and emerging technologies on food chemistry;
  • Bioaccessibility and bioavailability of phytochemicals;
  • Functional and sustainable plant-based food design;
  • Spectroscopic, chromatographic and metabolomic approaches in food analysis.

Dr. Ana Novo Barros
Guest Editor

Dr. Katarzyna Sujka
Guest Editor Assistant

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.

Keywords

  • plant-based food
  • food chemistry
  • food processing
  • bioactive compounds
  • chemical composition
  • structural characterization

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 1685 KB  
Article
Effect of Particle Size Control of Wheat Bran via Different Milling Techniques on the Structural and Physicochemical Properties of Arabinoxylan
by Jeonghan Moon and Meera Kweon
Molecules 2026, 31(9), 1450; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31091450 - 27 Apr 2026
Viewed by 366
Abstract
This study investigated how milling methods impact the extraction yield, structural features, and physicochemical properties of arabinoxylan (AX) isolated from wheat bran. Bran from three wheat cultivars (Goso, Hojoong, and Joongmo) was milled using an ultracentrifugal, mortar, or ball mill to generate fractions [...] Read more.
This study investigated how milling methods impact the extraction yield, structural features, and physicochemical properties of arabinoxylan (AX) isolated from wheat bran. Bran from three wheat cultivars (Goso, Hojoong, and Joongmo) was milled using an ultracentrifugal, mortar, or ball mill to generate fractions with different particle sizes. AX was extracted from each fraction and analyzed for yield, monosaccharide composition, arabinose-to-xylose (A/X) ratio, ferulic acid content, substitution patterns, and antioxidant-related indices. Ball milling produced the smallest particles and the highest AX yields, accompanied by increased ferulic acid release. NMR analysis indicated that ball milling reduced disubstituted xylose residues, suggesting partial disruption of highly substituted regions within the AX backbone. The A/X ratio varied by wheat type and milling method (0.44–0.60). Xylose and arabinose were the predominant monosaccharides, whereas residual glucose indicated incomplete starch hydrolysis. Ball milling also notably increased total phenolic content and ABTS radical scavenging activity, highlighting its role in releasing bioactive phenolic compounds. Overall, increased milling intensity improved AX extractability and enhanced the functional potential of wheat bran as a source of dietary fiber and antioxidant-active phytochemicals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Based Food Chemistry: Composition, Technological and Functional Quality)
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Review

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20 pages, 345 KB  
Review
Biofortification of Sprouts and Microgreens with Trace Elements and Calcium
by Magdalena Michalczyk
Molecules 2026, 31(11), 1860; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31111860 - 28 May 2026
Viewed by 448
Abstract
A large proportion of the world’s population struggles to meet the body’s requirements for certain minerals. It raises interest in methods of enhancing their levels in food raw materials. Sprouts and microgreens are highly promising raw materials for biofortification. Mineral accumulation in these [...] Read more.
A large proportion of the world’s population struggles to meet the body’s requirements for certain minerals. It raises interest in methods of enhancing their levels in food raw materials. Sprouts and microgreens are highly promising raw materials for biofortification. Mineral accumulation in these raw materials may be influenced by genetic factors, as well as by concentration, form and method of mineral application, light conditions, and the plant growth period. In some cases, studies have reported several dozen-fold increases in the content of the applied mineral compared with control samples. However, in some experiments, selenium accumulation was so high that it may pose a risk to consumers. The topic of the human body’s ability to utilise the components supplied in this form has also not been sufficiently researched. There is a lack of publications on minerals such as chromium, magnesium, and copper. The research focuses mainly on biofortification with selenium, zinc, iron, calcium and iodine. Nevertheless, even for these minerals, the number of studies is still insufficient to develop precise biofortification protocols that take into account both the genetic characteristics of the plants and their growing conditions, so as to ensure an adequate supply of the missing minerals and consumer safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Based Food Chemistry: Composition, Technological and Functional Quality)

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

43 pages, 980 KB  
Systematic Review
Allergenicity Assessment of Plant-Derived Sweet Proteins—In Silico, In Vitro, In Vivo, and Clinical Approach: A Systematic Review
by Rima Hidayati, Puspo Edi Giriwono, Saraswati, Nuri Andarwulan and Dominika Średnicka-Tober
Molecules 2026, 31(9), 1424; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31091424 - 25 Apr 2026
Viewed by 884
Abstract
Plant-derived sweet proteins are promising low-calorie natural sweeteners that may reduce dietary sugar intake and prevent non-communicable diseases. Although seven have been identified—thaumatin, miraculin, monellin, mabinlin, brazzein, pentadin, and curculin (neoculin)—only thaumatin is currently approved as a food additive. The development of others [...] Read more.
Plant-derived sweet proteins are promising low-calorie natural sweeteners that may reduce dietary sugar intake and prevent non-communicable diseases. Although seven have been identified—thaumatin, miraculin, monellin, mabinlin, brazzein, pentadin, and curculin (neoculin)—only thaumatin is currently approved as a food additive. The development of others requires comprehensive safety assessments, particularly regarding allergenicity. This systematic review aims to investigate and synthesize allergenicity assessment methods (in silico, in vitro, in vivo, and clinical) applied to these seven sweet proteins. The literature searches were conducted following PRISMA guidelines across Scopus, PubMed, and Wiley Online Library databases, up to 30 November 2025, with no time restrictions. The risk of bias in selected studies was evaluated using GRADE. After the selection process, 14 out of 2634 studies met the inclusion criteria. Thaumatin, miraculin, monellin, and brazzein emerged as the most extensively studied proteins. In silico approaches (sequence and structural homology) and in vitro assays (digestibility and cell-based methods) were the most commonly employed methods. In contrast, in vivo studies (animal models) and clinical evaluations (skin prick tests, oral food challenges) were rarely reported. Allergenicity studies on pentadin, mabinlin, and curculin (neoculin) are limited, indicating a research gap that requires further study to support regulatory approval and consumer acceptance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant-Based Food Chemistry: Composition, Technological and Functional Quality)
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