**1. Introduction**

Nowadays, the development of healthy foods enhanced with functional ingredients rose considerably as the relation between diet and health became a priority for consumers. Sustainability in the production of food or feed ingredients and economic viability of their production and subsequent transformation into commercially well-accepted final products are dramatically relevant for the progress of the industry with an essential role on the economy. The methodologies for food or feed product development are currently based on the chemical, nutritional and mechanical features, accompanied with a sensorial analysis of the final product. Moreover, the structure of foodstuffs is demonstrated to be decisive for food appeal and strongly impacts consumers' acceptance. In the creative process, the food biopolymers are the major players for the creation of relevant food structures such as foams, emulsions or gels. The development of products tailored to the needs of specific target groups like people with food intolerances, babies, elderly people, athletes or even astronauts, who often require appropriate nutritional solutions, by using biopolymers, as well as the use of food industry by-products as source of these structuring macromolecules, along with the structural implications of adding novel ingredients, are some of the challenges in creating novel food or feed products. Lastly, consumer attitude towards new products is a critically relevant concern for the accomplishment of the novelties and should be considered for close to market novel products.
