Impact of Storage and Processing on the Nutritional Content of Staple Crops

Staple crops including cereal crops (wheat, rice, corn), pseudocereal crops (quinoa), tuberous crops (sweet potatoes, potatoes), and legume crops (soybeans, peas), are fundamental to human nutrition and occupy extensive agricultural areas globally. These crops are considered main source of food for human. The storage and processing of staple crops are critical parts in food supply chain, affecting economic stability and national security. However, during these stages, staple crops face multiple challenges, such as quality deterioration, nutrition loss, threat from pests, diseases and microbial contamination, resulting in much loss.

In recent years, the scientific research on the changes and mechanism of quality deterioration has made amazing progress. Additionally, advanced storage techniques and processing methods such as chemical, physical and biological methods have been widely applied, playing a vital role in maintaining the quality and extending the shelf-life of staple crop products. The development of sustainable storage practices and processing technologies that effectively retain nutrients while ensuring safety remains a critical issue.

This research topic aims to collect the latest research on the nutrition changes of staple crops related storage and processing methods. The primary goal is to enhance food quality and nutrient retention through these processes, thereby supporting new developments in preservation and processing technologies. Additionally, this research topic will help elucidate the health benefits of processed staple crop products, providing essential information to underpin national food security and industry advances.

We welcome submissions to this research topic including, but not limited to:
● Quality changes in staple crop storage and processing
● Assessment of nutritional composition and functional evaluation in staple crop storage and processing
● Monitoring technologies for quality and nutrition and early warning systems in staple crop storage and processing
● Mechanisms of staple crop preservation
● Innovative approaches in storage, preservation and processing
● Strategies to optimize nutrient retention and stability of bioactive compounds
● The incorporation of staple crops and their bioactive compounds into diet within the context of clinical nutrition
● Fermentation and biotechnology of staple crops

Keywords: staple crops, nutrition, food quality, bioactive compounds, storage and 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.