From Taste to Health: The Multifaceted Benefits of Plant-Based Alternatives
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Food".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 319
Special Issue Editor
Interests: phenolics; oxidation mechanism; gut microbiota; metabolomics; flavoromics; bitter taste receptors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
As the world faces environmental challenges and the demands of a growing population, sustainable food solutions have never been more critical. One significant trend within this movement is the development of plant-based alternatives. These innovative products, including plant-based meats, dairy substitutes, and other plant-derived protein sources, are designed to mimic the taste, texture, and nutritional profile of animal-based foods. Beyond their environmental benefits, plant-based alternatives hold promise in terms of flavor, food safety, nutrition, and human health.
This Special Issue focuses on studies that explore the sensory and flavor properties of plant-based alternatives, which are crucial for promoting more sustainable consumption patterns. Additionally, it will address food safety concerns related to the production of these alternatives, as well as the health benefits they offer, such as reducing the risk of chronic diseases and improving digestive and intestinal health. This Special Issue aims to deepen our understanding of the sensory quality, food safety, and health impacts of plant-based alternatives.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Sensory and flavor analysis of plant-based alternatives.
- The nutritional profiles of plant-based foods.
- Food safety in innovative plant-based food product development.
- The role of plant-based foods in preventing chronic diseases.
- The effects of plant-based foods on gut health and the microbiome.
- Long-term health outcomes associated with plant-based dietary patterns.
- Consumer behavior and market trends for plant-based alternatives.
- Technological innovations in plant-based food production.
I look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Zhibin Liu
Guest Editor
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. Sustainability 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 2400 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 alternatives
- sustainable food
- sensory analysis
- nutritional profile
- food safety
- health benefits
- chronic disease prevention
- consumer behavior
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