Novel Food Processing Technologies and Their Effects on Bioactive Components in Foods

Dear Colleagues,

With the rapid development of food processing technologies, consumer interest in food nutrition and functionality has grown significantly. Bioactive constituents (e.g., polyphenols, carotenoids, dietary fiber, antioxidants, functional peptides) are critical health-promoting components in foods, yet their stability, retention, and bioavailability during processing are often compromised by complex industrial practices. This Special Issue focuses on "Novel Food Processing Technologies and Their Effects on Bioactive Components in Foods", exploring how traditional and emerging processing technologies alter the structure, content, and physiological activity of functional components in foods. 

In this Special Issue, original research Articles and Reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

1. Mechanisms and Effects of Processing Technologies:
(1) The impact of traditional (e.g., thermal treatment, drying, fermentation) and emerging technologies (e.g., high-pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, ultrasound, cold plasma) on the retention, degradation, or transformation of bioactive constituents.
(2) Structural changes in bioactive compounds during processing and their correlation with functional activity.

2. Innovations in Analysis and Detection Methods:
(1) Application of high-throughput, high-sensitivity detection techniques (e.g., metabolomics, in situ imaging) in studying bioactive constituents during processing.
(2) Predictive modeling and simulation of dynamic changes in bioactive components during processing.

3. Bioavailability and Health Effects:
(1) The influence of post-processing food matrix properties (e.g., cell wall disruption, matrix release) on the digestion and absorption of bioactive compounds.
(2) Evaluation of bioavailability and health functionalities (e.g., antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, metabolic regulation) using in vitro/in vivo models.

4. Functional Food Development and Sustainable Processing
(1) Optimization of processing techniques to retain or enrich bioactive constituents (e.g., enzymatic hydrolysis, microencapsulation).
(2) Green extraction and valorization strategies for functional components from by-products.

5. Synergistic Impacts of Processing on Safety and Nutrition:
(1) Interactions between processing-induced harmful substances (e.g., Maillard reaction products, lipid oxidation derivatives) and bioactive constituents.
(2) Regulation of allergens and antinutritional factors through processing, and associated nutritional safety assessments.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Mansheng Wang
Guest Editor

Dr. Xiao Wang
Guest Editor Assistant

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