Special Issue : Food Systems in Transition: Navigating the Future of Food

Introduction and Rationale

The global food system is at a critical stage, going through challenges related to climate change, biodiversity loss, food security and nutrition, and social equity. The dominant model of production, distribution, and consumption is proving unsustainable and is hindering progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This special issue stems from the recent conference, "Food Systems in Transition: Navigating the Future of Food," which highlighted the urgent need for a transformative change.

The special issue aims to unite the most innovative and impactful research providing a high-profile platform for scholarly work that widens the pathways, barriers, and governance mechanisms for creating more sustainable, resilient, and just food systems. By focusing on the concept of 'transition,' we seek papers that move beyond problem identification to offer concrete, evidence-based solutions and new theoretical perspectives.

Aims and Scope

This Special Issue invites original research articles, review papers, and short communications that address the forces of food systems transformation across different scales (local to global) and dimensions (environmental, economic, social, and cultural).

We are seeking submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

Transformative Pathways and Innovation

• Sustainable Production: Papers on the adoption and scaling of agroecological practices, regenerative agriculture, and circular economy models in food production.
• Technological and Digital Innovation: Research on the role of AI, blockchain, precision agriculture, and alternative proteins, plant-based, cultured meat in transforming the food chain.
• Alternative Food Networks: Studies on local food systems and short urban-rural linkages that enhance resilience and community well-being.

Governance, Policy, and Justice

• Just Transitions: Analysis of the social, cultural, and political dimensions of food system change, focusing on distributive, procedural, and recognition justice for vulnerable groups like smallholders, indigenous communities, urban, poor etc
• Policy and Regulation: Examination of effective policies, incentives, and regulatory frameworks (from national to international) that can accelerate or hinder food system transformation.
• Power Dynamics and Conflict: Research on the role of corporations, civil society, and social movements in shaping food transition pathways and overcoming the limitations

Consumption and Health

• Sustainable Healthy Diets: Papers baaed on behavioural change, public health interventions, and cultural shifts towards more plant-rich and less resource- consumption patterns.
• Novel food product development: Papers focussing on novel food products using sustainable food groups.
• Food Loss and Waste Reduction: Strategies and policies for minimizing food loss and waste across the value chain showing efficiency in resource management.
• Measuring Sustainability: Novel metrics and assessment frameworks for evaluating the sustainability and resilience of food systems

 

Timelines:

Submission of manuscript opens:                                                              January 21, 2026

Deadline for manuscript submission:                                                     September 30, 2026

 

Submission guidelines:

The journal's Guide for Authors on how to prepare a paper is available at:

 https://qascf.com/index.php/qas/guidelines

Papers must be submitted electronically via https://mc03.manuscriptcentral.com/qascf

To ensure that all manuscripts are correctly identified for inclusion in the special issue, it is important to select Section “Food Systems in Transition” also mention in the cover letter during submission.

Special Issue Editors

The Guest Editors are responsible for soliciting submissions, overseeing the peer-review process, and ensuring the quality and coherence of the final publication.

• Lead Guest Editor:

Prof J.F. Ayala-Zavala, Professor

Coordinación de Tecnología de Alimentos de Origen Vegetal, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. Carretera Gustavo Enrique Astiazarán Rosas No. 46. Colonia La Victoria, Hermosillo 83304, Sonora, Mexico

Expertise: Food Systems, New products development, postharvest,

Email: [email protected]

• Guest Editor 2:

      Dr. Vasudha Bansal, Assistant Professor,

Department of Foods and Nutrition, Government Home Science College, Sector 10D, Chandigarh 160011; Area of expertise: Novel food product development, enhancement of nutrients in the food products developed from sustainable plants/crops/food.

Email: [email protected]