In nowadays the manufacturing or processing of foods is of high importance, in direct link with food industry development. Food industry can help to improve the economic and nutritional status by providing nutritious and/or functional foods supply. The main issue currently being debated views on food control, which includes several factors such as: safety, nutrition, quality and value. The nutritional security (quality) and food security (quantity) both depend on a large number functional properties such as its physicochemical properties, processing method and parameters that can influence the nutritive composition and additional beneficial effects, thus affecting the consumer confidence and health status.¹ The special issue on “Nutraceutical & Functional Food Production” issue is aimed at providing a recent update on the selecting suitable techniques, methods and tools to keep and/or enrich their nutritive values and bioactivity, as well as proposing future directions on food analytical methodologies.

This special issue is a collection of 1 review and 15 research articles on the overall knowledge and applications of food industry and food safety in different consumption pattern, living arrangements and nutritional status. The first 13 papers broadly delineate how the various types of processing methods and bio-applications contribute to the food ingredients and nutritional indices, of which 8 papers identify the physicochemical properties and sensory evaluation of processed foods and the following 5 articles reveal potentially health-promoting and disease preventive effects, and other 1 review and 2 papers emphasize the impact of innovative technologies, instruments, and eating habits on food analysis and food–derived lifetime disease risk.

Yogurt or yoghourt is a food produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. Mwizerwa et al.,² and Niamah³ utilized cassava resistant starch and Saccharomyces boulardii had significantly quantity of yoghurt with acceptable sensory, and improved the physicochemical properties and microbial characteristics. Jaiswal et al.,⁴ proposed the measurement of physical properties may benefits as developing mechanical tool in design of sorting, grading, conveying, processing and packaging system. Leng et al.⁵, Plaitho et al.,⁶ and Manab et al.,⁷ suggested the heat treatments including stir-frying process, sterilization and microwave might effect on the qualities of foods and contents of nutrients and/or bioactive components, but relatively enhance the homogeneity and stability of products during storage period. Tinrat et al.,⁸ and Al-Manhel⁹ also utilized food processing wastes and microbial system by optimum conditions of extraction and fermentation to generate gelatin and exopolysaccharide which aspects as an alternative source in food industry.

Numerous plant-based food products derived from the manufacturing or processing have proved their additional beneficial effects, along with their nutritional properties.

Nugraheni et al.,¹⁰ and A. Kanchana et al.,¹¹ used resistant starch type 3 (RS3) and oryza sativa (red rice) flakes to make crackers and snacks that can as a functional food to improve diabetes, obesity and metabolism. Timbadiya et al.,¹² replaced with peanut butter to reduce saturated fatty acids in cookies not only had a greater appreciable sensory quality, but also reduce heart disease risk through consumption of beneficial mono and poly unsaturated fats. Ajanaku et al.,¹³ indicated the maize-Ogi with abundant protein sources would as an alternative approach for combating the threats of protein malnutrition in neonates. Further, Biswas et al.,¹⁴ evidenced the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic efficiency of valuable components from watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris) seed kernels on male albino rats.

Questionnaires from Khan et al.,¹⁵ and Gupta et al.,¹⁶ showed the right concepts and dietary practices would have a positive impact on health status. In the subsequent review, Bunney et al.,¹⁷ proposed the biosensor research arena have become powerful instruments in food analysis and safety due to the health risks like bacteria, pesticides and other toxins on food processing and producing.

Firstly the editor kindly thanks all the authors for their outstanding contributions of their manuscripts in this special issue. We also hope this issue will excite nutrition and food science professionals and the food industry with further researches in the field of nutraceutical & functional food production and accurately with each other and by working together to provide a safe, enjoyable, affordable, and sustainable food supplies in the future.

References

1. Weaver, C. M.; Dwyer, J.; Fulgoni, V. L., III; King, J. C.; Leveille, G. A.; MacDonald, R. S.; Ordovas, J.; Schnakenberg, D. Processed Foods: Contributions to Nutrition. Am. J Clin. Nutr. 2014; 99:1525-1542.
   CrossRef
2. Mwizerwa H.; Abong G. O.; Okoth M. W.; Ongol M. P.; Onyango C.; Thavarajah P. Effect of Resistant Cassava Starch on Quality Parameters and Sensory Attributes of Yoghurt. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3).
3. Niamah A. K. Physicochemical and Microbial Characteristics of Yogurt Added with Saccharomyces Boulardii. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3).
4. Jaiswal S. G.; Dole B. R.; Satpathy S. K.; Naik S. N. Physical Attributes and Modelling of Trans-Himalayan Seabuckthorn Berries. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3).
5. Leng L. Y.; Nadzri N.; Shaari A. R.; Norawanis A. R.; Khor C. Y. Antioxidant Capacity and Total Phenolic Content of Fresh, Oven-Dried and Stir-Fried Tamarind Leaves. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3)
6. Plaitho Y.; Rattanasena P.; Chaikham P.; Prangthip P. Biochemical and Antioxidative Properties of Unprocessed and Sterilized White and Black Sesame By-product from Northern Thailand. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3).
7. Manab A.; Purnomo H.; Widjanarko S. B.; Radiati L. E.; Thohari I. PhysichochemicalProperties of Kefir Drink Using Modified Porang Flour (Amorphophallus oncophyllus) During Storage Period. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3).
8. Tinrat S.; Sila-Asna M. Optimization of Gelatin Extraction and Physico-chemical Properties of Fish Skin and Bone Gelatin: its Application to Panna Cotta Formulas. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3).
9. Al-Manhel A. J. A. Production of Exopolysaccharide from Local Fungal Isolate. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3).
10. Nugraheni M.; Hamidah S.; Auliana R. A Potential of Coleus tuberosus Crackers Rich in Resistant Starch Type 3 Improves Glucose and Lipid Profile of Alloxan –Induced Diabetic Mice. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3).
11. A. Kanchana; Arun A. Vijayalakshmi. S. A Research On Reminiscence and Acclimation of Oryza Sativa Flakes Snacks Among Adolescents. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3).
12. Timbadiya P. N.; Bheda S. B.; Gajera H. P.; Patel S. V. Application of Peanut Butter to Improve the Nutritional Quality of Cookies. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3).
13. Ajanaku K. O.; Ademosun O. T.; Siyanbola T. O.; Akinsiku A. A.; Ajanaku C. O.; Nwinyi O. C. Improving Nutritive Value of Maize-Ogi as Weaning Food Using Wheat Offal. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3).
14. Biswas R.; Chattopadhyay A.; De S. D. Hypoglycemic and Hypolipidemic effects of Watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris) Seed Kernels on Male Albino Rats. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3).
15. Khan A. A.; Ali T.; Imran M.; Ali S. A.; Khan M. Understanding of Health Risks by the use of Energy Drinks Among Millennial Generation of Karachi, Pakistan. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3).
16. Gupta M.; Gupta S. Dietary Practices, Lifestyle Patterns and Nutritional Status of Emerging Male Adults in Different Living Arrangements. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3).
17. Bunney J.; Williamson S.; Atkin D.; Jeanneret M.; Cozzolino D.; Chapman J.; Power A.; Chandra S. The Use of Electrochemical Biosensors in Food Analysis. Curr Res Nutr Food Sci. 2017;5(3).