Functional Foods: Composition Detection, Benefits and High-Value Development

Dear Colleagues,

Functional foods or food ingredients have gained significant attention in recent years due to their potential to provide health benefits beyond basic nutrition. This issue aims to explore the composition detection, benefits and high-value development of functional foods, highlighting their importance in promoting overall well-being. The accurate qualification and quantitation of bioactive components in functional foods enables the development of precise formulations that offer specific health benefits, such as improved digestion, enhanced immune function and reduced risk of chronic diseases. Apart from supplementing particular vitamins and minerals to address nutrient deficiencies in individuals, functional foods are linked to various health benefits, encompassing antioxidant properties, probiotic effects, enhanced digestion and absorption of essential nutrients, among others. Recognizing the growing demand for functional foods, there is a need for high-value development to ensure their quality and effectiveness. This involves investing in research and development to create innovative functional food products using natural and sustainable ingredients. Additionally, implementing strict quality control measures throughout the production process guarantees the safety and reliability of these products. Developing partnerships with healthcare professionals and nutritionists can also help in educating and guiding consumers about the benefits of functional foods, leading to increased integration and market growth.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

Analysis of functional components in foods or food ingredients, including methodological improvement and simplification, screening methods and strategies, novel equipment or detection approaches; 

Assessing the functionality of bioactive compounds, food extracts, foods or food ingredients;

Formation of functional products, including production techniques and the evaluation of associated health benefits.

Dr. Kewei Chen
Prof. Dr. Jianquan Kan
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. 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.

• functional foods
• functional evaluation
• high-value development
• food analyses
• health benefits
• detection techniques
• functionality screening
• phytochemicals