Plant proteins are economically available in different foods with limitations in quality and functionality. Currently, there is extensive ongoing research in protein engineering to enhance the quality, nutritional, and functional properties of plant proteins. In developing countries, there has been a great interest in complementary nutritional and functional values of proteins instead of animal proteins due to inadequate sources of animal proteins in the food industry. There is a growing need for equally nutritional and healthy foods with superior physio-chemical properties.

Altering plant proteins has been shown to improve their health, functional, and nutritional properties. There is a continued need to search for new plant proteins with superior functionality, nutritional, and sensory qualities. Traditionally, plant proteins have been extensively studied due to the high contents of proteins and phenolics that have therapeutic properties in food products with a high impact on functional and nutraceutical food products. The major nutraceutical properties of plant proteins are the production of bioactive peptides as well as the presence of free and bound phenolics in extracted proteins with a range of applications in the food industry, including functional foods with prospective health benefits. Such bioactive peptides may already naturally exist in extracted proteins or may be produced by enzymatic or microbial hydrolysis. The health benefits and application of derived bioactive compounds from plant proteins have been associated with antiviral activity, antibacterial activity, antifungal activity, laxative, and anti-inflammatory effects.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collate original research and review articles describing advances in this field.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Chemical characteristics of extracted proteins
• Nutritional, biological, and sensory properties of protein fraction from plants
• Biological properties of derived bioactive peptides including enzymatic and probiotic properties
• Biological, functional, and sensory properties of fortified food with bioactive peptides and plant proteins
• Effect of lipid or phenolic interactions with proteins on the biological, sensory, and nutritional properties of food
• Nanotechnology in food proteins
• Studies related to chronic diseases including in vivo studies for applications of food protein-derived bioactive peptides and phenolics
• Extraction of phenolics and their biological properties
• Protein applications in the food industry
• Identification and purification of bioactive peptides