Various novel techniques are being applied in food technology for the extraction of valuable food components; processing and preservation of food products, and the modification of food components to improve the final quality of food products. These techniques include the use of ultrasound, microwave, pulsed electric-field, cold plasma, e-beam, high-pressure processing, ohmic heating, and other methods. Using traditional methods, extraction, preservation, processing, and modification can be accomplished through various chemical, enzymatic and conventional thermal treatments. However, novel technologies have recently been increasingly employed to either completely or partially replace the more conventional techniques.

These novel technologies have the advantages of high energy efficiency, uniformity of treatment, and high safety standards whilst producing products with high quality, a longer shelf-life, greater yield, and can sometimes provide reduced treatment times. These modifications have the potential to meet the ever-increasing consumer demand for nutritious, high quality, shelf-stable and safe food. It is also important that these novel technologies can support environmental sustainability as such new technologies can reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions due to the minimal treatment times required as a result of the increased mass and heat transfer rate of these technologies. Moreover, the extraction of natural products using novel technologies can reduce the amount of solvent used for extraction and increase the yield and selectivity of extracted components

The objective of this Special Issue is to encourage the submission of high-quality original research and review manuscripts that focus on the recent advances of novel technologies for the extraction and modification of various food components and preservation and processing of food products to enhance their quality and functionality.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Extraction of bioactive components from plant sources using novel technologies
• Novel processing technologies for processing and preservation of food products to improve finished products in terms of quality and safety
• Comparison of conventional vs. novel techniques for developing food ingredients and quality food products
• Optimization of various parameters of novel technologies for final high quality
• Evaluation of shelf stability of food products processed with novel technologies
• Application of extracted and modified food ingredients in different food models for improved quality in terms of nutrients