Synthetic Microbial Communities in Fermented Foods: From Mechanistic Insights to Sustainable Applications

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the design, construction, and application of synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) in fermented foods. Fermentation represents one of the oldest biotechnologies, yet recent advances in microbial ecology, multi-omics, and metabolic engineering have offered new opportunities for the rational design of microbial communities. These SynComs provide powerful platforms for studying microbial interactions, controlling fermentation outcomes, and tailoring the quality and safety of products.

Contributions to this Special Issue may address various topics, ranging from the mechanistic understanding of microbial interactions and functional metabolites, to the development of SynComs that reduce foodborne risks, enhance flavor and nutritional profiles, or valorize agri-food byproducts. By integrating microbiology, systems biology, food science, and ecological theory, this collection aims to inspire interdisciplinary research and provide a roadmap for the further development of microbial food biotechnology. It welcomes original research articles, reviews, perspectives, and methodological advances.

Dr. Chaofan Ji
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.