Nowadays, consumers are increasingly aware of the role that food plays in their health. That is why in recent years the demand for functional, healthy, nutritious, and environmentally sustainable food products has increased. This has motivated the food industry to seek non-conventional food preservation and pretreatment methods that preserve the organoleptic, technological, and nutritional properties of food products. In addition, it has been shown that when food products are consumed, the assimilation of some functional and nutritional compounds is relatively low compared to the amount ingested. In this sense, some preservation and processing treatments to which foods are subjected produce modifications at a structural and chemical level that can influence the fraction of nutrients that are released from the food matrix and, therefore, the fraction that is absorbed during digestion increasing the bioavailability of the compounds of interest. To address these issues, this Research Topic welcomes high-quality reviews, mini-reviews, and original research articles that present the latest advances and innovative solutions in the use of food preservation and pretreatment methods for enhancing the quality, nutrient retention, and functionality of food products. The main research areas of interest include, but are not limited to:• Non-thermal technologies • Nano and microencapsulation • Emerging extraction technologies• Emerging preservation technologies• Development of food processes• Green technologies
Nowadays, consumers are increasingly aware of the role that food plays in their health. That is why in recent years the demand for functional, healthy, nutritious, and environmentally sustainable food products has increased. This has motivated the food industry to seek non-conventional food preservation and pretreatment methods that preserve the organoleptic, technological, and nutritional properties of food products. In addition, it has been shown that when food products are consumed, the assimilation of some functional and nutritional compounds is relatively low compared to the amount ingested. In this sense, some preservation and processing treatments to which foods are subjected produce modifications at a structural and chemical level that can influence the fraction of nutrients that are released from the food matrix and, therefore, the fraction that is absorbed during digestion increasing the bioavailability of the compounds of interest. To address these issues, this Research Topic welcomes high-quality reviews, mini-reviews, and original research articles that present the latest advances and innovative solutions in the use of food preservation and pretreatment methods for enhancing the quality, nutrient retention, and functionality of food products. The main research areas of interest include, but are not limited to:• Non-thermal technologies • Nano and microencapsulation • Emerging extraction technologies• Emerging preservation technologies• Development of food processes• Green technologies