Microbial Technologies for Sustainable Food Production: Bio-Based Eco- Friendly Solutions

Dear Colleagues,

 

It is largely recognized that the sustainable production of food supplies will impact the long-term preservation of natural resources. In addition, FAO evaluations assess that the agri-food sector generates around a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Sustainability in agri-food was firstly linked to field management, where the use of fertilizers, pesticides and heavy metals is a major concern.  Exploitation of the plant and soil microbiota is a focal point in developing a next-generation agriculture in this context. Indeed, the diverse community of plant and soil microorganisms affect plant fitness through direct or indirect effects like nutrient provision, alteration of plant development, pest resistance, etc.

Afterwards, the contribution of food processing has also been considered, as several procedures could be improved for reducing the environmental impact of the whole chain, including microbe-driven transformations. Microorganisms play a role in several stages of fermented-food and beverages production. Therefore, the exploitation of microbial resources and the best management of their interactions has potential effects on the environmental impact of the whole chain. The presence of proper yeast or bacterial strains, the management and timing of inoculation of starter cultures, and some appropriate technological modifications that favor selected microbial activities can lead to several positive effects.

Finally, agri-food wastes also cause major environmental problems, as water and soil pollution. However, food wastes are rich in nutrients and should be considered as renewable resources.  Using microorganisms, food wastes can be transformed into high-value goods such as liquid and gaseous biofuels, bioplastic, industrial enzymes and soil fertilizers.

Keeping in consideration the keyword “sustainability” of this Special Issue, the main topics are (not limited to) the following potential application of microorganisms:

(i) improve bio-fertilization, bio-protection and bio-control strategies from raw-material to food storage;

(ii) limit the use of chemical additives used as preservatives against microbial spoilage during food production;

(iii) allow a better energy management in fermentations;

(iv) protect microbial biodiversity throughout the processes;

(v) exploit and characterize beneficial microbiomes for fermented local-foods production;

(vi) reduce the environmental impact of agri-food by-products through their valorization or stabilization for reuse (e.g. composting, microbial wastewater treatment, production of added-value molecules)

Dr. Giacomo Zara
Dr. Tiziana Nardi
Guest Editors

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