Sustainability of Protein in Food Ecosystem

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to focus on the role of protein sustainability of food ecosystems and security of an increasing global population. Protein sources are diverse and come in the form of pure animal-based to plant-based protein. The sustainability of different sources and the context dependence deserve specific attention in research. Novel protein sources have been identified, insects, as one example, but also single-cell protein, which is often grown on side flows on other food processes. Results defining the sustainability of value networks are most desirable in supporting win–win relationships in networked partnerships. Scaling from protein-rich products to protein-rich diets and regional or national protein sufficiency gives necessary results for policy development However, amino acids have different nutritional value compared to protein; amino acid optimization in food and feed is one way of improving efficacy and consequentially food and feed sustainability. Together with protein amino acids, non-protein amino acids also may appear in the same context. These are metabolites that have secondary impacts in plants, for instance. A variety of amino acids have a link to necessary diversity of food sources and the biodiversity of raw materials. The potential of different alternatives of protein based sustainability deserve much more focus alongside that of with energy nutrition. As need of amino acids varies over the lifespan of humans, research attentions should focus on the sustainability of diets for different age cohorts.

Prof. Dr. Sirpa Kurppa
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.

• food
• feed
• protein
• amino acids
• nitrogen
• diet
• nutrition
• protein ecosystem
• protease
• non-protein amino acid