Innovative Ingredients and Sustainable Practices for Food Production

Dear Colleagues,

The global food system is facing increasing pressure from population growth, climate change, and resource depletion, driving the need for more sustainable production methods. This Special Issue, entitled “Innovative Ingredients and Sustainable Practices for Food Production”, explores cutting-edge solutions that promote environmental resilience and efficiency in food systems. A key focus is the use of innovative ingredients such as plant-based proteins, algae, insects, and bioengineered products as alternatives to traditional animal-based proteins. These alternatives offer reduced carbon footprints, lower water usage, and biodiversity protection, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to climate action, responsible consumption, and environmental conservation.

In addition to novel ingredients, this Special Issue also aims to examine the potential of incorporating food residues and by-products into the development of new food products. Such practices not only minimize waste but also create high-value ingredients from what would otherwise be discarded. Examples include upcycling agricultural by-products into functional ingredients, fortifying foods with fibers or antioxidants recovered from food processing residues, and developing new formulations that enhance both the nutritional profile and the sustainability of food products.

Sustainable agricultural practices—such as regenerative agriculture, organic farming, and permaculture—will also be explored for their roles in improving soil health, promoting carbon sequestration, and reducing the need for synthetic inputs. These methods foster ecosystem resilience, enhance productivity, and help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Moreover, this Special Issue aims to delve into circular economy strategies that aim to minimize waste and recover resources, including biochar applications, converting agricultural by-products into feed, and creating energy from food waste as part of the movement toward zero-waste food systems. Technological innovations such as precision agriculture, vertical farming, and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) are also revolutionizing food production by optimizing resource use and reducing environmental impact. These approaches make food production more sustainable, particularly in urban or resource-scarce regions.

Finally, the social and environmental impacts of these practices are critical. This Special Issue aims to explore how sustainable farming supports local communities and ecosystems, fostering equitable and resilient food systems that provide nutritious food while protecting the planet. In summary, this Special Issue provides multidisciplinary insights into how innovative ingredients and sustainable practices can reshape global food production, addressing food security, environmental conservation, and economic development challenges.

Dr. Maurílio Lopes Martins
Prof. Dr. Bruno Ricardo de Castro Leite Júnior
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. 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.

• sustainable food production
• innovative ingredients
• plant-based proteins
• regenerative agriculture
• circular economy
• precision agriculture
• food security
• environmental resilience
• food by-products’ valorization
• zero-waste food systems
• new food product development