Sustainable Food Biotechnologies: Biopreservation for Green Food Systems

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, titled “Sustainable Food Biotechnologies: Biopreservation for Green Food Systems”, aims to showcase recent advances in sustainable biotechnologies that enhance food preservation while supporting environmentally responsible and resource-efficient food production. We welcome original research articles, reviews and case studies that explore innovative approaches to improving food safety, extending shelf life, reducing food waste and replacing synthetic preservatives through biological and sustainable solutions.

The scope includes, but is not limited to, microbial biopreservation using lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and protective cultures; bacteriocins, antimicrobial peptides and other natural bioactive compounds; fermentation technologies; the sustainable production of starter cultures; active and edible packaging; clean-label preservation; novel preservation technologies and strategies for shelf-life extension. Contributions addressing the valorization of agro-industrial by-products, circular bioeconomy, food microbiomes, omics technologies, predictive microbiology, artificial intelligence, life cycle assessment and techno-economic or sustainability analyses are also encouraged.

By bringing together interdisciplinary research in food microbiology, biotechnology, engineering and sustainability, this Special Issue seeks to promote innovative solutions that contribute to safer, greener and more resilient food systems.

The food industry faces growing consumer demand for safe, nutritious and high-quality food, as well as pressure to reduce environmental impact by minimizing food loss and waste and promoting the sustainable use of natural resources such as energy. Food preservation plays a crucial role in achieving these goals, as extending shelf life and ensuring microbiological safety are essential for improving food safety and reducing the environmental burden associated with food production. However, the increasing demand for minimally processed and clean-label foods, along with the need to reduce the use of synthetic preservatives, has accelerated the search for innovative and sustainable preservation strategies.

Biopreservation has emerged as one of the most promising approaches to addressing these challenges. It relies on the application of beneficial microorganisms, protective cultures, fermentation processes, bacteriocins, antimicrobial peptides, organic acids and other natural bioactive compounds to inhibit spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, while preserving food quality. In addition to improving food safety and stability, biopreservation contributes to more sustainable food production by reducing food waste, decreasing reliance on chemical preservatives and supporting environmentally friendly processing technologies.

Recent advances in food biotechnology have significantly expanded the potential of biopreservation. Developments in microbial ecology, genomics, metabolomics, systems biology, synthetic biology and precision fermentation have enhanced our understanding of microbial interactions and enabled the development of highly efficient protective cultures and natural antimicrobial systems. At the same time, emerging technologies such as predictive microbiology, artificial intelligence, digital process monitoring, active packaging and novel non-thermal preservation methods are creating new opportunities for designing integrated and sustainable preservation strategies.

Another area of ​​growing interest is the integration of circular bioeconomy principles into food biotechnology. Agro-industrial byproducts and food processing waste are increasingly being valued as substrates for microbial growth, fermentation processes and the production of natural preservatives and bioactive compounds, contributing to resource efficiency and waste reduction. These approaches support the transition to circular and low-carbon food systems while generating new value chains for the food industry.

Despite these advances, significant scientific and technological challenges remain, such as improving the efficacy and stability of biopreservation systems, understanding microbial interactions in complex food matrices, scaling up sustainable production processes, assessing environmental and economic impacts and addressing regulatory and consumer acceptance issues. Therefore, interdisciplinary research combining food microbiology, biotechnology, engineering, sustainability assessment and data science are essential to accelerate the implementation of biopreservation technologies in modern food systems.

This Special Issue aims to promote the dissemination of original research articles, reviews and case studies that advance the development and application of sustainable food biotechnologies for biopreservation. Contributions that address fundamental mechanisms, technological innovations, industrial applications and sustainability assessments that promote safer and more environmentally friendly food systems, as well as the study of sensory profiles and consumer acceptability, are welcome. By bringing together researchers from diverse disciplines, this Special Issue seeks to foster scientific collaboration and accelerate the adoption of sustainable biopreservation strategies that contribute to the resilience and sustainability of global food systems.

The food industry faces increasing pressure to develop sustainable preservation strategies that ensure food safety, extend shelf life, reduce food losses and minimize environmental impact. Biopreservation, based on the use of beneficial microorganisms, their metabolites and other naturally occurring antimicrobial compounds, has emerged as a promising approach to replace or reduce synthetic preservatives, while supporting the transition to greener and more resilient food systems.

This Special Issue aims to bring together high-quality research and review articles addressing recent advances in sustainable food biotechnologies for biopreservation. The issue will cover fundamental and applied research on microbial cultures, bacteriocins, bioactive metabolites, fermentation technologies, natural antimicrobial systems, innovative preservation approaches, the sustainable production of starter and protective cultures, active packaging and the valorization of agro-industrial byproducts within the framework of the circular bioeconomy. Contributions exploring emerging technologies, predictive microbiology, artificial intelligence, life cycle assessment and techno-economic analyses related to sustainable food preservation are also encouraged.

The proposed theme aligns perfectly with the field of sustainability, which promotes interdisciplinary research on sustainable production systems, the circular economy, resource efficiency, environmental protection and innovations that contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By integrating advances in food microbiology, biotechnology, engineering and sustainability assessments, this Special Issue will provide a comprehensive platform for disseminating innovative solutions that support the development of safer, more sustainable and environmentally responsible food systems.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Sustainable microbial biopreservation
• Lactic acid bacteria and protective cultures
• Yeasts in food preservation
• Natural antimicrobial metabolites
• Bacteriocins and antimicrobial peptides
• Fermentation for food preservation
• Valorization of food by-products
• Circular bioeconomy
• Sustainable starter culture production
• Active and edible packaging
• Novel preservation technologies
• Shelf-life extension
• Food safety
• Food microbiome
• Omics technologies
• Artificial intelligence and predictive microbiology
• Life cycle assessment of preservation technologies
• Green processing
• Clean-label preservation

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Emma Elizabeth E. Tymczyszyn
Dr. Bárbara Mercedes Bravo-Ferrada
Guest Editors

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