Abstract

Background Consumers’ demands are changing how foods are produced, processed, and delivered. In this respect, the term rational food design (RFD) appears in an increasing number of scientific articles without much explanation of its precise meaning. Attempting a definition of the concept supported by several examples would facilitate and encourage its applications in food research and product development. Scope and approach The aims of this review are to (i) discuss advances in the rational design of foods resulting in improved product properties; (ii) address the role of food microstructure and the food matrix in achieving specific functional targets in several food products; and (iii) comment on the most active areas of food microstructure research, use of imaging techniques and the interfaces with other scientific disciplines. Key findings and conclusions The article proposes that RFD is expressing the desirable sensorial, emotional, nutrition, and health properties of foods as functional multiscale microstructures and matrices following an integrated knowledge-based process that utilizes a versatile multidisciplinary toolbox. RFD is used advantageously in the development of delivery systems for nutraceuticals, redesigned/reformulated traditional products, gastronomic creations, personalized foods, applications for novel food sources, innovative plant-based foods and meat analogs, and matrices to feed a healthy microbiota. RFD implies working at interfaces with various disciplines outside the direct realm of food science and technology, thus nurturing from their knowledge and tools.