About this Research Topic

Background

This collection of Mini-Reviews and Hypothesis and Theory articles is the outcome of a series of webinars conducted during the 2020/21 academic year as part of the International Post-graduate 2nd level Master's Degree in “Food and Human Nutrition Sciences and Technologies,” 8th Edition. It is named after Michele Ferrero the founder of the Ferrero Group. The program focused on: “Innovation in Food Science and Technology.” This inter-University was initiated in 2009. The 2020/21 academic program is a collaboration with the University of Turin and the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore – Piacenza Campus (Milan, Italy). The overall aim of the program is to furnish advanced university education in recent scientific developments focusing on interdisciplinary studies in innovation in food science and technology. It combines both basic and applied research as well as advanced courses integrating multidisciplinary approaches and international perspectives as well as soft skills.

The mission of modern nutritional science is not simply to avoid qualitative and quantitative nourishing imbalances, but above all to improve the health condition and reduce the risk of disease. Besides achieving a nutritional effect, it aims at positively influencing more functions of the body. To accomplish such multi-target and dynamic aims, food science must unceasingly innovate, and the only way is to go hand in hand with a consistent improvement of related technology - a concept that inspired this Research Topic. Article submissions are limited to selected eminent contributors and topics, highlighting a plethora of significant recent subjects in Health, Nutrition, Food, Sustainability and Innovation:

Nutrition, Diet and Health
• Physiological role of Palmitic Acid
• Lactation: what can 200 million years of evolution teach us about milk, diet and health
• Extra-Oral taste receptors: function, disease and evolution
• A2 milk and BCM-7 peptide as emerging parameters of milk digestibility
Gut Microbiome
• The Gut Microbiome and Individual-Specific Responses to Diet
Food Processing and Sustainability
• Palm oil and other oils in sustainable development goal
• Plant-based: Nutritional & Technological issues
• Ultra Processed Foods (UPFs) in the frame of circular economy
• Oxysterols as emerging markers of quality in food ingredients
• Toward a lifecycle-based, diet-level framework for food environmental impact and nutritional quality assessment: a critical review and a case study on milk
Consumer aspects
• Evolution of milk consumption
• Sensory, eating behavior and nutrient intake
Innovation
• Food products and digital tools: the unexpected interconnections
• Google-mapping foods charting trajectories for new value chains

The goal of this Research Topic is to offer a broad range of up-to-date scientific progress in selected topics addressing major interest to food practitioners in a large spectrum of activities and interests. Additionally, to demonstrate successful collaboration between the food industry and academia. We hope that this model of interaction between universities, a food company, and a multidisciplinary international program will be adopted by other groups and provide the bridge towards future partnerships.

The guest editors declare that this special issue received limited partial founding from Soremartec Italia Srl. G.P., I.S.S. and C.A. were involved in Master Michele Ferrero academic course and webinars and received limited partial funding from Fondazione Piera, Pietro e Giovanni Ferrero and Soremartec Italia S.r.l. M.C. is an employee of Soremartec Italia S.r.l.

Keywords: Nutrition, Diet and Health, Consumer, Gut Microbiome, Innovation, Palm Oil, Milk, Oxysterols, A2 Milk, Ultra processed foods, Sensory, Taste, Life-cycle analysis, Plant Based, Food system

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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