About this Research Topic
The production of large amounts of animal-based food (such as meat, fish, egg, and milk) has been proposed to be one of negative impact on global environmental sustainability. Traditional livestock for food typically causes more pollution and water use; exhibits greater greenhouse gas emissions; and leads to greater losses in biodiversity and sustainability. Plant-based foods are commonly classified into vegetables, cereals, fruits, and nuts, and their derived processed counterparts such as bakery cereals, fermented fruits and vegetables, meat analogs, plant-based emulsions, gels, and other delivery systems. Compared to animal-based food, there has been increasing scientific research on plant-based foods because of their potential sustainability and health-related benefits, as foods rich in starch, proteins, pectin, lipids, fiber, and phytonutrients.
As a result of environmental, ethical, and health concerns, the plant-based food market is expanding rapidly and the food industry is creating a new generation of plant-based products to meet this demand. However, the main challenge is to achieve nutrition and functionality of these plant-based foods using healthy and sustainable plant-derived ingredients with desirable appearance, flavor, sensory, and other physicochemical attributes. It is also argued that large quantities of nutraceutical and functional food have to be consumed to possess the claimed health benefits, yet the safety and health aspects of plant bioactive compounds are not clear. This Research Topic can provide an insight into innovative scientific understanding in this area and highlight further work required for the development of nutraceutical and functional plant-based foods.
This Research Topic highlights the importance of novel technology for creating more nutritious and healthier plant-based functional food and nutraceuticals. We welcome authors to contribute their latest advances with high-quality Original Research or Review papers covering (but not limited to) the following subjects:
• Developing new and improved nutraceutical and functional plant-based foods;
• Increasing the bioavailability of nutrients and phytonutrients in plant-based foods;
• Novel plant-based foods (e.g., meat analogs) with improved physico-chemical characteristics and nutritional value;
• New plant-based food delivery systems such as emulsion and hydrogel;
• Safety and health aspects related to nutraceutical and functional foods and beverages;
• Identification and structural assignment of bioactive nutrients from processing.
As a result of environmental, ethical, and health concerns, the plant-based food market is expanding rapidly and the food industry is creating a new generation of plant-based products to meet this demand. However, the main challenge is to achieve nutrition and functionality of these plant-based foods using healthy and sustainable plant-derived ingredients with desirable appearance, flavor, sensory, and other physicochemical attributes. It is also argued that large quantities of nutraceutical and functional food have to be consumed to possess the claimed health benefits, yet the safety and health aspects of plant bioactive compounds are not clear. This Research Topic can provide an insight into innovative scientific understanding in this area and highlight further work required for the development of nutraceutical and functional plant-based foods.
This Research Topic highlights the importance of novel technology for creating more nutritious and healthier plant-based functional food and nutraceuticals. We welcome authors to contribute their latest advances with high-quality Original Research or Review papers covering (but not limited to) the following subjects:
• Developing new and improved nutraceutical and functional plant-based foods;
• Increasing the bioavailability of nutrients and phytonutrients in plant-based foods;
• Novel plant-based foods (e.g., meat analogs) with improved physico-chemical characteristics and nutritional value;
• New plant-based food delivery systems such as emulsion and hydrogel;
• Safety and health aspects related to nutraceutical and functional foods and beverages;
• Identification and structural assignment of bioactive nutrients from processing.
Keywords: Plant-based food, Nutraceuticals, Delivery system, Bioactive nutrients, Functional properties, Bioavailability, Novel Food Processing
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.
