Food Processing and Preservation: Innovative Solutions for Natural Food Preservation, 2nd Edition

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Natural food products refer to minimally processed foods and their derived ingredients (e.g., vitamins, phenolic compounds, organic acids, sugars, proteins, minerals, fibers, and antioxidants). Before commercialization, these products require processing and preservation to be used in ready-to-eat meals or as natural food ingredients. However, extending their shelf life while maintaining their nutritional and functional properties remains a significant challenge. For this reason, in recent years, research has focused on innovative food processing techniques to prevent spoilage, enhance shelf stability, and simultaneously preserve the characteristics and chemical composition of these products. Scientific advancements continue to refine existing technologies and drive the development of novel approaches to ensure that natural food products retain their quality, safety, and bioactivity throughout their storage and distribution. Among these approaches, fermentation plays a crucial role not only in preserving food but also in enhancing its functional and sensory properties. Fermented food products serve as a significant source of microbial strains with excellent food processing and preservation properties and as bioactive compounds with potential applications in biotechnology, medicine, and the food industry. This Topic, “Food Processing and Preservation: Innovative Solutions for Natural Food Preservation, 2nd Edition”, aims to present innovative solutions and integrated approaches to preserve natural food products, with an emphasis on both non-fermented and fermented food systems. The main topics to be covered include advances in food processing and preservation, emerging technologies, green and innovative techniques, microbial-based preservation methods, and consumer acceptance. It is crucial that the nutritional, chemical, physical, and quality properties of food products are encompassed, reinforcing the role of fermentation as a natural strategy for food stabilization and enhancement. Therefore, we invite authors to contribute original research articles and reviews to this Topic.

Dr. Ângela Fernandes
Dr. Filipa Mandim
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Agriculture agriculture	3.6	6.3	2011	18 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Beverages beverages	2.7	4.6	2015	24.1 Days	CHF 1600	Submit
Dairy dairy	3.1	4.9	2020	23.4 Days	CHF 1200	Submit
Fermentation fermentation	3.3	5.7	2015	15.5 Days	CHF 2100	Submit
Foods foods	5.1	8.7	2012	14.9 Days	CHF 2900	Submit

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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All Agriculture Beverages Dairy Fermentation Foods

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24 pages, 3665 KB  

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Study of Different Enrichment Methods with Blackcurrant Wine and Their Effects on Hard Cheese Properties

by Renáta Szabó, Erika Veres, Csilla Albert, Éva Laslo, László Gyenge and Rozália Veronika Salamon

Dairy 2025, 6(6), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/dairy6060071 - 12 Dec 2025

Viewed by 264

Abstract

Cheese consumption is steadily increasing worldwide, with a growing interest in cheese enriched with bioactive substances, including antioxidants. This study investigated the impact of adding blackcurrant wine to the curd (IC), enriching the curd with blackcurrant wine by soaking and ripening in salted [...] Read more.

Cheese consumption is steadily increasing worldwide, with a growing interest in cheese enriched with bioactive substances, including antioxidants. This study investigated the impact of adding blackcurrant wine to the curd (IC), enriching the curd with blackcurrant wine by soaking and ripening in salted blackcurrant wine (IOC), and cheese soaked and ripened in blackcurrant wine with 5% (w/w) NaCl (OC). The curd and added wine weight ratio (1.5:1, 3:1) effects were also studied. Physicochemical (dry matter, polyphenol content, antioxidant activity, radical-scavenging activity, anthocyanin content like delphinidin-3-rutoside and cyanidin-3-rutoside, ethanol content), microbiological, and sensory properties of the cheeses were evaluated. The results indicated that a week of soaking is sufficient to achieve the maximum antioxidant capacity and polyphenol content of the cheese. From a technological and sensory point of view, a 1.5:1 ratio of blackcurrant wine to curd was better. The maximum transfer rate of delphinidin-3-rutoside from wine was the most pronounced in IOC samples (20.44%). Blackcurrant wine inhibited the growth of lactic acid bacteria, and a longer soaking time can hinder the ripening process of cheese. During tasting, among the treated cheese, IC samples received the highest average acceptance scores for appearance, texture, creaminess, flavor, saltiness, bitterness, freshness and overall impressions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Food Processing and Preservation: Innovative Solutions for Natural Food Preservation, 2nd Edition)

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15 pages, 1927 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Honeysuckle Extracts (Lonicera japonica Thunb.): Understanding Insights into the Antioxidant Effect on Preserving Qualities of Rabbit Meat During Refrigerated Storage

by Xiaohua Huang, Wenjiao Chen, Siyi Yang, Bo Wang, Xinyu Hu, Zhilan Dong and Jiamin Zhang

Foods 2025, 14(24), 4194; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14244194 - 6 Dec 2025

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Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of honeysuckle extract (HE) as a natural preservative for rabbit meat. We investigated its antioxidant and antibacterial properties and its effect on the quality of pre-treated rabbit meat during refrigerated storage (4 °C) for up to [...] Read more.

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of honeysuckle extract (HE) as a natural preservative for rabbit meat. We investigated its antioxidant and antibacterial properties and its effect on the quality of pre-treated rabbit meat during refrigerated storage (4 °C) for up to 15 days. Firstly, honeysuckle was extracted using ethanol at different concentrations (50–75%). Extraction with 65% ethanol yielded optimal antioxidant activity and a high content of bioactive compounds. Subsequently, both raw and cooked rabbit meat, pre-treated with a standard marinade, were treated with 4% HE and stored for 15 days. The results showed that HE treatment significantly stabilized chewiness compared to the control, although no significant differences were observed in hardness, springiness, or cohesiveness. Moreover, HE treatment significantly reduced TBARS, TVB-N, and TVC levels (p < 0.05) compared to the control group. Taken together, HE could inhibit microbial proliferation, and lipid oxidation in pre-treated rabbit meat during refrigerated storage, indicating HE as a potential natural preservative for improving quality loss and prolonging the shelf-life of refrigerated rabbit meat. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Food Processing and Preservation: Innovative Solutions for Natural Food Preservation, 2nd Edition)

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18 pages, 6344 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Antimicrobial Effects of Three Plant-Derived Phenolic Compounds and Their Potential Role in Strawberry Preservation

by Ziwei Liang, Shengshuai Li, Lanxi Zhang, Fengqin Wu, Shuyan Pu, Xinyue Liu and Yu Rao

Foods 2025, 14(23), 4142; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14234142 - 3 Dec 2025

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Abstract

Microbial spoilage of nutrient-rich strawberries leads to considerable food waste and economic losses. Plant-derived phenolic compounds, including resveratrol (RES), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and tea polyphenols (TP), have gained attention for their multi-target antimicrobial efficacy and potential applications in fruit preservation. This study evaluated [...] Read more.

Microbial spoilage of nutrient-rich strawberries leads to considerable food waste and economic losses. Plant-derived phenolic compounds, including resveratrol (RES), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and tea polyphenols (TP), have gained attention for their multi-target antimicrobial efficacy and potential applications in fruit preservation. This study evaluated the individual and combined effects of these three compounds on strawberries infected with Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Botrytis cinerea (B. cinerea). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for RES (analytical grade, ≥99% purity) and EGCG (analytical grade, ≥98% purity) against E. coli were 1.56 g/L and 25 g/L, with an additive effect against E. coli growth (FICI = 0.625). 5 g/L TP (analytical grade, ≥98% purity) completely inhibited the mycelial growth of B. cinerea. The in vivo application of RES and EGCG significantly reduced spoilage and improved texture, color, weight retention, and flavor quality in strawberries infected by E. coli individually or in combination. Similarly, the combined use of TP and chitosan saved the quality of strawberries infected by B. cinerea compared to single treatments. This study provided new effective and eco-friendly strategies for the preservation of strawberries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Food Processing and Preservation: Innovative Solutions for Natural Food Preservation, 2nd Edition)

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17 pages, 2493 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Food-Derived Compounds Extend the Shelf Life of Frozen Human Milk

by Justin E. Silpe, Karla Damian-Medina and Bonnie L. Bassler

Foods 2025, 14(12), 2018; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14122018 - 7 Jun 2025

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Abstract

Breastmilk is known to provide optimal nutrition for infant growth and development. A cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative US data from 2016 to 2021 revealed that >90% of lactating mothers reported using breast pumps to express milk. We conducted a survey of n [...] Read more.

Breastmilk is known to provide optimal nutrition for infant growth and development. A cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative US data from 2016 to 2021 revealed that >90% of lactating mothers reported using breast pumps to express milk. We conducted a survey of n = 1049 lactating or recently lactating individuals from a US nationally representative population to explore breastmilk storage practices among this group. The data revealed that 83% of respondents store breastmilk in their homes, with 68% using freezers to do so for >1 month. The lowest available temperature in most household freezers is −20 °C, a temperature that is inadequate to maintain human milk’s emulsified structure, leading to separation, degradation of fats, loss of key vitamins, and changes in palatability. We developed a first-of-its-kind high-throughput screening platform to identify food-derived compounds and combinations of compounds that, when added to human breastmilk, preserve fat content, retain antioxidant capacity, and reduce production of rancid-associated free fatty acids during extended freezer storage. Our screening identified pectin (0.5% w/v) and ascorbic acid (100 μg/mL) as optimal preservation agents. Compared to untreated controls, this formulation reduced glycerol production by approximately 60% and maintained antioxidant capacity after 6 months of storage at −20 °C. Lysozyme and protease activity were maintained at >75% of the levels in fresh breastmilk. This formulation represents a lead for the development of safe and affordable frozen breastmilk shelf-life extenders for at-home use to increase the longevity of stored breastmilk. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Food Processing and Preservation: Innovative Solutions for Natural Food Preservation, 2nd Edition)

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