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Sustainability
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Innovative Ingredients and Sustainable Practices for Food Production
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Innovative Ingredients and Sustainable Practices for Food Production

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Food".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2026 | Viewed by 1950

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maurílio Lopes Martins

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Sudeste de Minas Gerais (IF Sudeste MG), Juiz de Fora, Brazil
Interests: food microbiology; functional food; probiotics; food preservation; thermal processing; innovative ingredients, food by-products development; circular economy
Prof. Dr. Bruno Ricardo de Castro Leite Júnior

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Technology (DTA), Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), University Campus, Viçosa 36570-900, Brazil
Interests: food processing; emerging technologies; thermal processing; enzymes; proteins; plant-based; milk; fermentation; probiotics; sustainable food development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global food system is facing increasing pressure from population growth, climate change, and resource depletion, driving the need for more sustainable production methods. This Special Issue, entitled “Innovative Ingredients and Sustainable Practices for Food Production”, explores cutting-edge solutions that promote environmental resilience and efficiency in food systems. A key focus is the use of innovative ingredients such as plant-based proteins, algae, insects, and bioengineered products as alternatives to traditional animal-based proteins. These alternatives offer reduced carbon footprints, lower water usage, and biodiversity protection, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to climate action, responsible consumption, and environmental conservation.

In addition to novel ingredients, this Special Issue also aims to examine the potential of incorporating food residues and by-products into the development of new food products. Such practices not only minimize waste but also create high-value ingredients from what would otherwise be discarded. Examples include upcycling agricultural by-products into functional ingredients, fortifying foods with fibers or antioxidants recovered from food processing residues, and developing new formulations that enhance both the nutritional profile and the sustainability of food products.

Sustainable agricultural practices—such as regenerative agriculture, organic farming, and permaculture—will also be explored for their roles in improving soil health, promoting carbon sequestration, and reducing the need for synthetic inputs. These methods foster ecosystem resilience, enhance productivity, and help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Moreover, this Special Issue aims to delve into circular economy strategies that aim to minimize waste and recover resources, including biochar applications, converting agricultural by-products into feed, and creating energy from food waste as part of the movement toward zero-waste food systems. Technological innovations such as precision agriculture, vertical farming, and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) are also revolutionizing food production by optimizing resource use and reducing environmental impact. These approaches make food production more sustainable, particularly in urban or resource-scarce regions.

Finally, the social and environmental impacts of these practices are critical. This Special Issue aims to explore how sustainable farming supports local communities and ecosystems, fostering equitable and resilient food systems that provide nutritious food while protecting the planet. In summary, this Special Issue provides multidisciplinary insights into how innovative ingredients and sustainable practices can reshape global food production, addressing food security, environmental conservation, and economic development challenges.

Dr. Maurílio Lopes Martins
Prof. Dr. Bruno Ricardo de Castro Leite Júnior
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 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

  • sustainable food production
  • innovative ingredients
  • plant-based proteins
  • regenerative agriculture
  • circular economy
  • precision agriculture
  • food security
  • environmental resilience
  • food by-products’ valorization
  • zero-waste food systems
  • new food product development

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 634 KiB  
Article
Young Consumers’ Intention to Consume Innovative Food Products: The Case of Alternative Proteins
by Angela Mariani and Azzurra Annunziata
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 6116; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17136116 - 3 Jul 2025
Viewed by 293
Abstract
The contemporary food environment is experiencing substantial transformations, and sustainability and the pursuit of novel ingredients have become pivotal factors in consumer decision-making and business strategy formulation. The emergence of alternative proteins has significant implications for sustainability, climate change mitigation and animal welfare, [...] Read more.
The contemporary food environment is experiencing substantial transformations, and sustainability and the pursuit of novel ingredients have become pivotal factors in consumer decision-making and business strategy formulation. The emergence of alternative proteins has significant implications for sustainability, climate change mitigation and animal welfare, and can potentially promote the achievement of different United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The spread of these novel foods requires significant attention, particularly concerning younger demographics, which are often considered to be more environmentally and ethically aware when making dietary choices. This study investigates the psychological and attitudinal factors that shape young consumers’ intention to consume plant-based, insect-based, and cultured meat alternative proteins, and verifies the existence of heterogeneous segments of consumers. To this purpose principal component analysis and k-means cluster analysis are employed using data from an online survey conducted in Italy, with a sample of 350 young consumers. The findings reveal that the intention to consume alternative protein sources is not particularly pronounced among the young consumers and differs according to the type of alternative protein. Three different profiles of young consumers were found: traditionalist (39% of the sample); enthusiastic (17%) and open-minded (44%). These segments differ significantly with respect to consumption intention, socio-demographic, lifestyle and psychological variables. The results provide useful insights for policymakers to design targeted interventions to encourage young consumers’ sustainable food choices. The findings could also be useful for marketers interested in investing in such innovations as they can benefit from an in-depth knowledge of this market segment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Ingredients and Sustainable Practices for Food Production)
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15 pages, 2362 KiB  
Article
Sustainable Integration of Ora-Pro-Nobis (Pereskia aculeata Miller) in Gluten-Free and Lactose-Free Sweet Bread: Impacts on Quality and Functional Properties
by Luciene Dias Santos Silva, Flaviana Coelho Pacheco, Thais Odete de Oliveira, Eliane Mauricio Furtado Martins, Maurilio Lopes Martins, Wellington de Freitas Castro, Mária Herminia Ferrari Felisberto and Bruno Ricardo de Castro Leite Júnior
Sustainability 2025, 17(3), 1338; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17031338 - 6 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1231
Abstract
Ora-pro-nobis (OPN) enriches gluten- and lactose-free bread, while improving nutritional quality and sustainability due to its high nutritional value, adaptability to diverse climates, and low resource requirements for cultivation. This study evaluated the impact of incorporating different concentrations of OPN (0–24%) on the [...] Read more.
Ora-pro-nobis (OPN) enriches gluten- and lactose-free bread, while improving nutritional quality and sustainability due to its high nutritional value, adaptability to diverse climates, and low resource requirements for cultivation. This study evaluated the impact of incorporating different concentrations of OPN (0–24%) on the physicochemical (e.g., centesimal composition, specific volume, and color analysis), functional (e.g., total phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity), and sensory quality (e.g., acceptance test and purchase intent) of gluten-free and lactose-free sweet bread. The results revealed that the addition of OPN led to a 63% increase in protein content and a 65% increase in ash content (p < 0.05). Higher OPN concentrations also enhanced the specific volume by up to 35% (p < 0.05), yielding softer and more voluminous loaves. Texture analysis showed reductions in crumb hardness and chewiness by up to 74.8% and 59.4%, respectively (p < 0.05), attributed to OPN’s water retention and gas-trapping abilities during fermentation. Furthermore, OPN addition resulted in a darker crust and a dark green crumb, with a remarkable increase in total phenolic compounds (up to 464%) and antioxidant capacity (up to 503%) (p < 0.05). Sensory evaluations indicated that OPN did not affect the overall impression compared to the control bread (p > 0.05), with all samples achieving purchase intention scores >3.0 points. Thus, incorporating OPN in gluten-free and lactose-free bread not only enhances nutritional and functional properties but also supports sustainable food production, presenting an innovative solution for consumers with dietary restrictions seeking health-oriented, eco-friendly products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Ingredients and Sustainable Practices for Food Production)
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