Separation Processes for Bioactive Ingredients from Complex Matrices and Their Integration into Various Aspects of Food Science

In recent years, the food industry has seen growing demand for products that are not only nutritious but also functional and provide additional health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Central to this development is the extraction and integration of bioactive ingredients and compounds with proven health benefits from complex natural matrices and food processing by-products. These bioactive compounds are derived from various sources such as plants, algae, fungi, and food processing by-products and wastewater, and they hold enormous potential to improve food quality and safety, with many health-promoting properties. However, separating these valuable compounds from their natural matrices presents significant scientific and technical challenges. Efficient and sustainable extraction methods combined with effective integration into food products are essential to exploit the full potential of these bioactive components.

This Special Issue thus addresses the critical advances and challenges in separation processes for bioactive ingredients and highlights their transformative impact on various aspects of food science and the food industry.

Submissions that explore the latest advancements and challenges in separation processes for bioactive ingredients from complex matrices and the focus on their integration into various aspects of food science are welcomed. The scope of this Special Issue covers a comprehensive range of topics covering innovative extraction, separation, and purification techniques, as well as their efficiency, scalability, and practical applications in the food industry.

Key topics include the following:

• Novel and sustainable extraction techniques: investigating state of the art methods for the isolation of bioactive compounds from various sources such as plants, algae, fungi, and by-products. The focus is on sustainable practices that ensure environmental and economic viability.
• New separation technologies: exploring advanced technologies such as membrane separation, supercritical fluid extraction, pulsed electric fields, and chromatographic techniques, with an emphasis on their efficiency, selectivity, and scalability.
• Process integration for improved recovery: investigating the integration of extraction and separation processes to maximize the recovery and purity of bioactive ingredients and ensuring their suitability for food applications.
• Effects of processing on bioactive compounds: analysis of how different processing techniques affect the bioactivity, stability and bioavailability of extracted compounds and strategies for preserving these properties during food production.
• Modelling and simulation for process optimization: use of modelling and simulation tools to optimize separation processes and predict the behaviour of bioactive compounds, supporting the design of efficient and effective extraction systems.
• Sustainability and economic analysis: conduct life-cycle assessments and techno-economic analyses to evaluate the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of separation processes and promote practices that are both environmentally and economically sustainable.

We invite researchers to submit their original research articles, reviews, and case studies that contribute to the advancement of knowledge on the separation and application of bioactive ingredients in food science.

Dr. Loubna Firdaous
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. Foods 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 2900 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.

• separation processes
• bioactive ingredients
• complex matrices
• plant bioactives
• algae extracts
• fungal bioactives
• food processing by-products
• food processing wastewater
• sustainable extraction techniques
• membrane separation
• supercritical fluid extraction
• pulsed electric fields
• functional foods
• nutraceuticals
• process optimization
• bioactivity stability
• environmental sustainability