Contaminants in commercial, traditional, and industrialized foods: processing, detection, and consumer safety

Commercial, traditional, and industrialized foods are integral to global nutrition, food security, and livelihoods. Across all segments of the food value chain, the processes of production, harvesting, processing, drying, and storage strongly influence product quality and safety. In many regions, insufficient regulation and inconsistent monitoring allow hazardous contaminants—such as heavy metals, mycotoxins, agro-chemical residues, and newly emerging pollutants—to enter the food supply. Despite advances in understanding and technology, significant disparities persist between industrial and traditional processing systems regarding contamination risks, detection capacities, and preventive controls. Recent studies underscore the critical need for holistic, science-based strategies that integrate technological innovation, food policy, and consumer safety to ensure safe and sustainable diets.This Research Topic aims to deepen understanding of contamination pathways and mitigation mechanisms across both small-scale and industrialized food systems. It seeks to connect scientific exploration of food contaminants with technological solutions for detection, processing, and quality control. Through interdisciplinary approaches in food chemistry, process engineering, toxicology, and risk assessment, this Research Topic will explore strategies that enhance food safety, ensure compliance with international standards, and promote consumer trust. The ultimate goal is to identify how food processing innovations, detection technologies, and value-chain governance can collectively reduce contamination without compromising food security or sustainability.The scope of this Research Topic spans the science and technology of food contaminants from production through consumption, emphasizing practical interventions and analytical advancements. Both field- and laboratory-based studies, as well as theoretical and modeling contributions, are welcome.To gather further insights into food safety and contaminant control across diverse production systems, we welcome articles addressing—but not limited to—the following themes:• Influence of industrial and traditional processing, drying, fermentation, and storage on contamination levels• Detection, quantification, and real-time monitoring of heavy metals, mycotoxins (including aflatoxins), agro-chemical residues, and emerging contaminants• Risk-assessment and quality-control frameworks in small-scale and industrial food value chains• Technological innovations in processing and preservation that mitigate contamination risks and enhance consumer safety• Integration of food-safety management systems into sustainable food production models• Policy, regulatory, and socioeconomic dimensions of contaminant management and food securityWe welcome Original Research, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Methods, and Perspectives that contribute to scientific, technological, and policy progress toward safer, higher-quality foods globally. Topic editors: Wasiu Awoyale, Samson Adeoye Oyeyinka, Emmanuel Anyachukwu Irondi Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/83101/contaminants-in-commercial-traditional-and-industrialized-foods-processing-detection-and-consumer-safety