The science of food is always changing, driving advances in our knowledge of nutrition, safety, and sustainability. At the heart of it all is Foods, an international, peer-reviewed, open-access online journal published by MDPI. With fortnightly online issues, Foods seeks to disseminate the newest findings influencing public health, diet, and agriculture.
The journal is listed in top databases such as Scopus, SCIE, PubMed, PMC, FSTA, AGRIS, and PubAg. It’s also ranked Q1 consistently as a top publication in Food Science and Technology and Health Professions. Quick turnaround is equally important authors on average receive a first decision in approximately 15 days, and accepted papers are published in just under two days.
As editorial seniors, we’re pleased to share a sneak peek at nine exceptional articles that share the type of impactful, user-friendly research the journal is renowned for. Each of these presents something new, whether as a means to better food quality, improved safety, or discovering more efficient ways to eat well. Let’s introduce them.
1. Functional Foods in Clinical Trials
Zsuzsa Emma Hajzer and colleagues point out how functional foods are being researched using clinical trials to assess their impact on health. These trials don’t only enlighten food science but shape nutrition policy and public health in general.
The study highlights that the trials assist in revealing how functional foods avert disease and enhance quality of life. Their actual worth lies in translating laboratory data into instruments assisting in making sounder dietary advice for healthcare professionals.
Eventually, such clinical trials have an indispensable role to play in bridging science with daily practices in health. They are important in securing peoples’ confidence in nutrition and changing for better the shape of communities.
2. Lactic Acid Bacteria Enhance Rice Bread Freshness
Zhiqi Wang and others investigated whether fermenting rice flour with three lactic acid bacteria species could inhibit staling in rice bread. Many gluten-free breads tend to stale rapidly, so the objective here was to enhance both texture and shelf life.
Their research demonstrated that employing particular quantities of fermented flour assisted in keeping bread fresher for longer. The bacteria enhanced water distribution and retention, which had an immediate effect on softness and volume.
The findings are directed at functional solutions for food developers and bakers who wish to enhance gluten-free bread without sacrificing quality.
3. Athletes and High-Protein Bread Preferences
Roberta Selvaggi and her colleagues researched how sportspeople respond to high-protein bread, both in terms of their palates and product information. The experiment tested whether being informed about a product’s advantages in advance influences people’s willingness to pay.
Surprisingly, providing nutritional information first caused sportspeople to appreciate the bread more, even before they tasted it. Whereas sensory aspects were still important, messages about health benefits played an even larger role.
This observation can assist firms in marketing functional foods to performance-oriented consumers more effectively by harmonizing flavor with straightforward, informative communication.
4. Combating Illegal Mussel Sales in Italy
Valeria Vuoso and colleagues investigated the black market mussel trade in Italy’s Campania region. They analyzed mussels taken from illegal suppliers to determine safety and track origin.
The findings were disturbing. All tested positive for hazardous bacteria, some of which were drug-resistant. Roughly 11% even proved resistant to last-line antibiotics.
In order to track the origin of the mussels, the researchers employed near-infrared spectroscopy and associated most of the samples with a particular coastal region. Their research emphasizes the necessity of stronger monitoring and more intelligent traceability to safeguard public health.
5. Enhancing Surimi Texture with Polysaccharides
Zhu-Jun Zhang conducted research aimed at enhancing the texture of Spanish mackerel surimi by using three varieties of anionic polysaccharides: κ-carrageenan, ι-carrageenan, and gellan gum.
The chemically modified surimi exhibited improved texture, stable water content, and structure. The improvements were as a result of protein configuration changes and increased bonding within the gel matrix.
These results can aid the food industry in producing higher-quality, more desirable surimi-based foods.
6. Dietary Fiber and Metabolic Disease
Xinrui Gao’s article discusses the role of dietary fiber (DF) as a prebiotic and its role in controlling metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. The article describes how fiber delays glucose absorption and aids in healthy gut flora.
Constipation was specifically targeted as a frequent condition for individuals suffering from long-term diseases. Instead of only depending on medication, the research proposes that fiber can be utilized as a natural, less expensive remedy.
The authors also explained how DF affects gut hormones and water transport proteins, providing better insight into its numerous advantages.
7. Smarter Food Testing with Electrochemical Biosensors
Xinxin Wu’s review of electrochemical biosensors demonstrates how this technology has the potential to revolutionize food testing. Current methods might be costly and complex, particularly within field environments.
Biosensors, however, employ electrical signals to rapidly and precisely identify food contaminants. They don’t need pretreatment of the sample and perform effectively even with cloudy or blended food products.
Their sensitivity is enhanced by materials such as gold nanoparticles and graphene. In the future, integrating these with AI and biodegradable materials may propel food testing to an intelligent, sustainable future.
8. Sorghum Flour in Gluten-Free Cookies
Simona Bukonja and colleagues experimented with replacing 20% or 40% of a gluten-free flour mixture with whole grain sorghum to see if it would enhance nutrition and flavor in cookies.
Both levels had improved nutritional content, increased protein, minerals, and plant compounds. The cookies retained good texture and were popular in taste panels.
This research confirms that sorghum is a good option for healthful gluten-free baked products that do not compromise on taste or quality.
9. Olive Oil Adulteration in Canned Tuna
Marjeta Mencin and colleagues tested olive oil from canned tuna foodstuffs to detect authenticity. They employed conventional and sophisticated techniques, such as isotope analysis.
All test samples from markets were genuine, but if test samples were deliberately tampered with, only the new methods consistently detected the alterations. The research also revealed that test results depend on how a product is kept, particularly after extended times.
These findings indicate how a combination of testing equipment, particularly those employing stable isotope information, can better safeguard consumers against deception and ensure food integrity.
Bringing Science to the Table
Each of these nine Foods journal studies represents a different facet of food science ranging from enhancing the way bread remains fresh, to creating biosensors, to ensuring that our food is safe and genuine. What links them is their applicability. Whether through more intelligent ingredients, more effective testing equipment, or more accurate communication, each contributes to advancing the discussion on how we produce, process, and eat food in ways that serve all.
