Towards superior plant-based foods using metabolomics.

Area of Science:

• Agronomy and Food Science
• Metabolomics
• Plant-based Foods

Background:

• Metabolomics is crucial for achieving key goals in agronomy and food production.
• Current metabolomic analyses have revealed significant complexity in plant-based foods, yet much remains undiscovered.
• Advanced food metabolomics provides molecular insights into food characteristics, enhancing precision and speed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent applications of food metabolomics.
• To focus on opportunities for food innovation.
• To support the transition towards plant-based food systems.

Main Methods:

• Targeted and untargeted small-molecule analysis.
• Chemometric analysis of complex datasets.
• Review of recent literature on food metabolomics applications.

Main Results:

• Metabolomics is instrumental in addressing sustainability, crop resilience, food quality, safety, storage, and nutrition.
• Significant progress has been made in understanding plant-based food complexity.
• State-of-the-art techniques offer deeper insights into molecular mechanisms driving food traits.

Conclusions:

• Food metabolomics is a powerful tool for advancing agronomy and food production.
• Continued research in food metabolomics will drive innovation in the food sector.
• Metabolomics supports the strategic shift towards more sustainable plant-based food options.