Exploring the Effect of Different Processing Methods on In Vitro Digestibility of Food Proteins

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to investigate how various food processing methods impact the in vitro digestibility of proteins. Proteins are essential macromolecules in human nutrition, contributing to muscle development, enzyme function, and metabolic regulation. The digestibility of proteins directly influences their bioavailability, which is crucial for assessing the nutritional quality of food products.

This Issue will explore the influence of traditional and novel processing methods, including thermal treatments (such as boiling, roasting, steaming), non-thermal methods (like high-pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, and ultrasound), and enzymatic or fermentation techniques. Special focus will be given to how these processing methods affect protein structure, denaturation, and the formation of aggregates, which can alter enzymatic hydrolysis during digestion.

Moreover, the research will provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying these changes, such as the unfolding of protein structures and interactions with other food components (like lipids or carbohydrates) that either promote or inhibit digestibility. Advances in in vitro digestion models will be highlighted, offering a closer approximation of human gastrointestinal conditions for assessing protein digestion.

Overall, this Issue will provide a comprehensive understanding of how different processing methods can be optimized to enhance protein digestibility, potentially leading to improved nutritional quality in the food products designed for health-conscious consumers or those with specific dietary needs, such as the elderly or individuals with protein malabsorption disorders. As the Guest Editors of this Special Issue, we encourage researchers from diverse disciplines, including food science, nutrition, biochemistry, and pharmacology, to contribute their latest findings to this Special Issue. Join us in advancing our understanding of proteins from foods and their potential applications in promoting human health and well-being.

Suggested research problems include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

• Comparative analysis of traditional and novel food processing techniques on the digestibility of plant- and animal-based proteins;
• The impact of thermal and non-thermal processing methods on protein denaturation and aggregation and their subsequent effects on enzymatic hydrolysis;
• Molecular mechanisms underlying protein structural changes during food processing and their influence on bioavailability;
• The role of food matrix components (lipids, carbohydrates, etc.) in modifying protein digestibility through interactions during various processing methods;
• Development and optimization of in vitro digestion models for accurately simulating human gastrointestinal conditions in assessing protein digestibility;
• Strategies for enhancing protein digestibility in food products designed for elderly populations or individuals with specific dietary needs (e.g., malabsorption disorders);
• The effect of fermentation and enzymatic treatments on improving protein bioavailability and functional properties in processed foods;
• Application of high-pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, and ultrasound techniques in optimizing protein digestibility in functional food products;
• Exploration of protein digestibility in plant-based alternative proteins after processing methods aimed at improving their nutritional quality.

Prof. Dr. Huijuan Zhang
Guest Editor

Dr. Feiyue Ren
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

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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.

• protein digestibility
• food processing methods
• enzymatic hydrolysis
• thermal and non-thermal treatments
• bioavailability