Microbial Advancement in Plant-based Food: Sustainable Processing, Quality, Safety and Nutrition

The field of food microbiology is rapidly evolving alongside the global transition toward more sustainable and plant-based diets. Understanding the interactions between microorganisms and plant-based food matrices is essential for ensuring food safety, quality, shelf life, and nutritional value. Microorganisms can contribute to spoilage and contamination, but they also play important roles in fermentation, preservation, flavor development, and health promotion. Recent advances in molecular biology, genomics, and digital technologies are transforming our ability to characterize, predict, and control microbial dynamics in plant-based foods, offering new frontiers for innovation and risk mitigation. Yet, challenges remain in comprehensively mapping microbial networks, balancing safety with functional benefits, and designing sustainable processes that align with consumer expectations and regulatory standards.Ongoing research emphasizes the importance of both utilizing beneficial microorganisms and controlling pathogenic or spoilage species in plant-based food systems. Studies on microbial ecology reveal how fermentation pathways, nutrient composition, and environmental conditions influence both the sensory attributes and shelf-life of plant-based foods. Concurrently, the application of genomics, metabolomics, and systems microbiology have improved understanding of microbial functions and interactions, supporting the identification of probiotics and functional food formulations. However, challenges remain in developing rapid microbial detection methods, scalable bio-preservation strategies, and predictive models for process control. Addressing these gaps is essential for improving the safety, quality, and sustainability of plant-based foods.This Research Topic focuses on recent advances in microbiology, with an emphasis on understanding, controlling, and utilizing microorganisms in plant-based food systems. It seeks to compile cutting-edge findings, foster multidisciplinary dialogue, and promote innovative approaches - from microbial characterization to novel processing and preservation techniques - that contribute to a more resilient and sustainable food supply. This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, and short communications related to food microbiology in sustainable and plant-based foods. Key areas can range from state-of-the-art topics to novel advances and trends, including, but not limited, to the following: 1. The microbial spoilage in plant-based food 2. Fermented plant-based food and food microbiomes, particularly the microbial ecology that influences product quality, flavor, functionality and shelf-life 3. Microorganisms of technological interest, including those used in food processing and preservation, as well as probiotics, prebiotics, and postbiotics that contribute to health and nutrition 4. Foodborne pathogenic microorganisms and their virulence factors, pathogenicity mechanisms, epidemiology, and risk assessment 5. Emerging and sustainable strategies for controlling harmful microorganisms - such as bio-preservation, biofilm control and hurdle technology 6. The development of rapid, reliable methods for microbial detection and characterization - such as genomic tools, biosensors, and nanotechnologies 7. The integration of innovative monitoring and control systems, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, represents a growing frontier in improving plant-based food safety and quality. Topic editors: Gengjun Chen, Haiwei Lou, Dingkang Wang Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81346/microbial-advancement-in-plant-based-food-sustainable-processing-quality-safety-and-nutrition