MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

The role of Micro-biome engineering in enhancing Food safety and quality

Summary

Microbiome engineering uses advanced biotechnology to strategically modify helpful bacteria in food to make it safer and higher quality. By using tools like CRISPR gene editing and engineering beneficial probiotics, scientists can prevent food spoilage, reduce harmful bacteria, improve nutrition, and create better-tasting foods. These innovations could reduce reliance on synthetic preservatives and chemicals while addressing global food safety challenges and helping combat malnutrition.

Background

Food safety remains a critical global challenge exacerbated by increasing complexity of global food supply chains, rising foodborne illnesses, spoilage, and contamination. Microbiome engineering offers a transformative solution by targeting microbial communities integral to food production and preservation. This approach draws on advancements in biotechnology, bioinformatics, and microbial ecology to enhance food safety, quality, and sustainability.

Objective

This review evaluates the current state of microbiome research in food systems, assesses the limitations of traditional food safety approaches, and explores opportunities for microbiome engineering to revolutionize food safety and quality. It examines cutting-edge techniques including synthetic biology, artificial intelligence, and systems biology for improving nutritional profiles, extending shelf life, and optimizing food production processes.

Results

The review identifies key genome-editing tools (CRISPR-Cas9, TALENs, ZFNs) that enable targeted genetic modifications for enhancing probiotic functionality and controlling pathogens. Engineered microbial consortia demonstrate significant potential in flavor development, shelf-life extension, and pathogen control with reductions up to 70-80% in spoilage and pathogen loads. Recent studies show engineered strains improving nutrient bioavailability and sensory qualities while biofortified probiotics address micronutrient deficiencies.

Conclusion

Microbiome engineering holds significant promise for revolutionizing food safety and quality control through precise microbial community modulation. Success requires addressing scientific, ethical, regulatory, and social challenges through collaborative interdisciplinary efforts. Future progress depends on developing harmonized regulatory frameworks, robust public engagement, and further research into microbial dynamics in complex food systems.
  • Published in:Biotechnol Notes,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: PMID: 39912062, DOI: 10.1016/j.biotno.2025.01.001
Scroll to Top