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Advances in the Design, Analysis and Evaluation of Functional Foods
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Advances in the Design, Analysis and Evaluation of Functional Foods

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Process Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2025 | Viewed by 3048

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jovana Petrović

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, University of Novi sad, Bul.cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: food engineering; functional foods; bakey product; bioactive components
Dr. Ivana Nikolić

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, University of Novi sad, Bul.cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: low-energy food products; starch technology; rheology, texture
Prof. Dr. Šoronja‐Simović Dragana

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Technology Novi Sad, University of Novi sad, Bul.cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: biotechnology; technology of bread; pastries and pasta; food fibers; functional foods

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, titled "Advances in the Design, Analysis and Evaluation of Functional Foods", presents cutting-edge research on enhancing the development, analysis, and assessment of functional foods—products offering additional health benefits beyond basic nutrition. It delves into innovative approaches in ingredient selection, formulation techniques, and analytical methodologies to optimise functional food design and quality. It explores the identification and characterisation of bioactive compounds, evaluates their bioavailability, assesses their potential health effects and the possibility of their incorporation into functional food products, and addresses consumer preferences as well as market trends.

The topics of interest for this Special Issue, in particular, include (but are not restricted to) the following:

  • Identification of bioactive compounds;
  • New functional foods design;
  • Influence of processing parameters on functional foods；
  • Health effects;
  • Analysis and evaluation of functional foods;
  • Consumer acceptance;
  • Other aspects of functional foods.

Dr. Jovana Petrović
Dr. Ivana Nikolić
Prof. Dr. Šoronja‐Simović Dragana
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. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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

  • functional foods
  • design
  • analysis
  • bioactive compounds
  • health benefits
  • processing techniques
  • nutritional profiling
  • consumer acceptance
  • regulatory considerations

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 1266 KiB  
Article
Nutritional Properties of Innovatively Prepared Plant-Based Vegan Snack
by Hassan Barakat, Thamer Aljutaily, Ibrahim Khalifa, Abdulkarim S. Almutairi and Huda Aljumayi
Processes 2024, 12(12), 2720; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12122720 - 2 Dec 2024
Viewed by 595
Abstract
This research examines the nutritional characteristics of novel-prepared plant-based vegan snacks (PVSs). The proximate composition, mineral content, amino and fatty acid profiles, volatile compounds, phytochemicals, antioxidant activity, and in vitro protein and carbohydrate digestion in prepared snacks were analyzed. The PVSs were mainly [...] Read more.
This research examines the nutritional characteristics of novel-prepared plant-based vegan snacks (PVSs). The proximate composition, mineral content, amino and fatty acid profiles, volatile compounds, phytochemicals, antioxidant activity, and in vitro protein and carbohydrate digestion in prepared snacks were analyzed. The PVSs were mainly prepared by mixing blanched broccoli, pumpkin, chickpeas, whole oat flour, red sweet pepper, fresh onion and garlic, leafy vegetables, and mixed spices, then homogenated, shaped, and freeze-dried. Consequently, sensory evaluation was used to select the most favored PVS; PVS2 contains 25% broccoli and 25% chickpeas, which was the superior model of this study and was analyzed further. The moisture content, crude protein, crude fat, ash, crude fiber, and available carbohydrates were 74.80, 3.40, 28.18, 4.97, 7.86, 3.69, and 51.89 g 100 g−1 of PVS2 (containing 25% of either broccoli or chickpeas), respectively. The results showed that the highest mineral content in macro-elements was sodium, followed by potassium. The PVS2 formula provides 95.24 Kcal 100 g−1 and 54.28 mg 100 g−1 of vitamin C on fresh weight (fw). Consequently, TPC, TCs, TF, TFL, and AOA exhibited valuable content. The HPLC analysis revealed that fifteen phenolics were quantified, with predomination of chlorogenic acid (1741.60 μg g−1), phenolic acid, and naringenin (302.38 μg g−1) as flavonoids, as well as Daidzein (22.27 μg g−1) as an isoflavone. The GC-MS quantification of volatiles exhibited more components; at least 37 displayed concentrations higher than 0.1%. The predominant volatile was cis-13-octadecenoic acid. The percentage of essential amino acids (EAAs) was 25%, and the percentage of non-essential amino acids (NEAAs) was 75%. Among the EAAs and NEAAs, phenylalanine and glutamic acid were the highest, respectively. The fatty acids (FAs) profile exhibited that saturated fatty acids (SFA) and unsaturated fatty acids (USFA) were 20.2% and 79.2%, respectively. The predominant FA in PVS2 was cis-11,14,17-Eicosatrienoic acid, with a percentage of 37.13%, followed by cis-8,11,14-Eicosatrienoic acid, with a percentage of 36.02%. Omega-3 fatty acids reached 39.04%, followed by omega-6 fatty acids at 38.95%. The degree of protein degradation values for the sample was 292.09 mg NH3 g−1 before digestion and increased to 2106.77 mg NH3 g−1 after enzymatic digestion. The glycemic index (GI) of PVS2 was estimated to be 21.12, slightly higher than individual vegetables’ GI. Finally, a prepared PVS may be advantageous for recommending the enhancement and further development of diverse snacks to satisfy the nutritional needs of healthy persons and patients across various age demographics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Design, Analysis and Evaluation of Functional Foods)
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24 pages, 5086 KiB  
Article
Food Functional Powders with Redox Capacity and Antioxidant Properties Obtained from Food Losses and Waste of Olive Oil Industry
by Natalia González, Consuelo Pacheco, Ana Luisa Grafia, Mariela Fernanda Razuc, Carolina Cecilia Acebal and Olivia Valeria López
Processes 2024, 12(12), 2666; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12122666 - 26 Nov 2024
Viewed by 584
Abstract
Food powders were produced from olive pomace (Coratina, COP, and Arbequina, AOP) using freeze-drying with maltodextrin (MD) and native corn starch (NS) as wall materials in varying proportions. Optical microscopy revealed that OP was partially recovered by MD and NS. COP presented a [...] Read more.
Food powders were produced from olive pomace (Coratina, COP, and Arbequina, AOP) using freeze-drying with maltodextrin (MD) and native corn starch (NS) as wall materials in varying proportions. Optical microscopy revealed that OP was partially recovered by MD and NS. COP presented a total polyphenol content (TPC) of 53.8 g GAE/kg; meanwhile, AOP was 31.9 g GAE/kg. Accordingly, powders obtained from COP presented higher TPC than those from AOP. NS allowed obtaining powders with higher TPC and antioxidant activity. The greatest encapsulation efficiency was achieved by using 15% MD, achieving values of 94.9% for COP and 89.4% for AOP. Hydroxytyrosol was identified as the predominant polyphenol in the powders. It was demonstrated that powders could be added to food formulations and withstand cooking temperatures up to 220 °C without suffering a significant thermal degradation. Chemometric analysis of MIR and NIR spectra evidenced that they are analytical techniques capable of differentiating OP varieties and wall material types, besides variations in OP concentration. Results derived from this study demonstrated that it is feasible to give added value to olive pomace, obtaining powders rich in antioxidants to be used as ingredients of functional foods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Design, Analysis and Evaluation of Functional Foods)
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15 pages, 264 KiB  
Article
The Processing of a Novel Health Beverage Based on Extracts from Green Tea and Chios Mastiha
by Aikaterini Itziou, Dimitrios Ziouzios, Konstantinos Zaralis, Evangelia Lakioti, Vayos Karayannis and Constantinos Tsanaktsidis
Processes 2024, 12(11), 2433; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12112433 - 4 Nov 2024
Viewed by 747
Abstract
In the present study, the processing, characterization, and assessment of novel non-alcoholic and sugar-free drinks based on bioactive extracts from valuable natural sources, such as green tea enriched with Chios mastiha, are considered. Currently, the transition towards the consumption of healthy and sustainable [...] Read more.
In the present study, the processing, characterization, and assessment of novel non-alcoholic and sugar-free drinks based on bioactive extracts from valuable natural sources, such as green tea enriched with Chios mastiha, are considered. Currently, the transition towards the consumption of healthy and sustainable food and beverages promoting human health and well-being is strongly encouraged and biologically active compounds from natural resources have a broad range of ap-plications in this sector. In this context, three beverages (all non-alcoholic, non-carbonated, and sugar-free) were created, including extracts of green tea with Chios mastiha, matcha green tea with Chios mastiha and louisa green tea with Chios mastiha, and an evaluation of their biological potential was performed. Specifically, an analysis of water, extracts, and additives for the beverage production was carried out. Microbiological and nutritional value determination was also conducted in samples of the three products. According to the experimental results, the novel health beverage produced from green tea enriched with Chios Mastiha extracts was found to have improved organoleptic characteristics and was microbiologically stable and safe for a period of 180 days from the production date at 25 °C. It is also considered stable and safe for 3 days after production, even if it remains open at 25 °C. In view of a possible scale-up of this application, safety, and preservation control should continue for at least 540 days from the date of production. In conclusion, the current research findings support the development of a novel non-alcoholic sugar-free health drink based on bioactive extracts from green tea enriched with Chios mastiha, to contribute to maintaining human health and also to strengthen the economy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Design, Analysis and Evaluation of Functional Foods)
14 pages, 477 KiB  
Article
The Chemical and Rheological Properties of Corn Extrudates Enriched with Zn- and Se-Fortified Wheat Flour
by Nikolina Kajić, Jurislav Babić, Antun Jozinović, Zdenko Lončarić, Leona Puljić, Marija Banožić, Mario Kovač, Dragana Šoronja-Simović, Ivana Nikolić and Jovana Petrović
Processes 2024, 12(9), 1945; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12091945 - 10 Sep 2024
Viewed by 763
Abstract
This paper analyzed the influence of the addition of Zn- and Se-fortified wheat flour to corn extrudates on viscosity, total starch content, starch damage, and bioavailability of zinc and selenium. Fortified wheat flour was added to corn grits in 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, and [...] Read more.
This paper analyzed the influence of the addition of Zn- and Se-fortified wheat flour to corn extrudates on viscosity, total starch content, starch damage, and bioavailability of zinc and selenium. Fortified wheat flour was added to corn grits in 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, and 60:40 ratios at three extrusion temperature profiles: 140/170/170 °C, 150/180/180 °C, and 160/190/190 °C. Viscosity values decreased significantly at different extrusion temperature profiles and at different proportions of wheat. The extrusion process increased the starch content, regardless of the extrusion temperature, and decreased it by adding different proportions of flour enriched with zinc and selenium. The starch damage increased with extrusion, without significant changes with extrusion temperature increment. The addition of different proportions of Zn- and Se-fortified wheat flour reduced starch damage values proportionally to the added content of enriched wheat. Increasing the temperature and the proportions, the total zinc content in the extrudates increased. Zinc bioavailability increased with increasing extrusion temperature. As for selenium, the total content increased by proportion increment but decreased with an increase in the extrusion temperature, though there were no significant differences in selenium bioavailability regardless of changes in extrusion temperature or the proportion of enriched wheat. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Design, Analysis and Evaluation of Functional Foods)
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