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Omics Technologies to Enhance Plant Based Functional Foods: An Overview
Spurthi N Nayak1, B Aravind1, Sachin S Malavalli1
1Department of Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, India.
Frontiers in Genetics
|December 3, 2021
Summary
Functional foods offer health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Omics technologies and AI can enhance these beneficial compounds in crops, improving nutritional security and tackling malnutrition.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Nutritional Science
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Functional foods, plant-derived products with health benefits beyond nutrition, are found in various food sources like fruits, vegetables, and cereals.
- Current research on identifying and characterizing functional foods and their benefits is limited to a few crops.
- Advances in omics technologies offer new opportunities to enhance beneficial compounds in foods, contributing to nutritional security.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the application of omics technologies in identifying and enhancing functional food components in diverse plant species.
- To explore the potential of integrated omics approaches, artificial intelligence, and machine learning for crop improvement.
- To highlight the need for characterizing traditional functional foods and integrating this knowledge into staple crops for addressing malnutrition.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on omics studies (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) applied to functional foods.
- Analysis of integrated omics approaches combined with artificial intelligence and machine learning for crop enhancement.
- Examination of studies focusing on cereals, millets, pulses, oilseeds, fruits, vegetables, spices, beverages, and medicinal plants.
Main Results:
- Omics technologies provide powerful tools to identify active components and improve crops by enhancing functional compounds.
- Integrated omics approaches coupled with AI/ML can significantly advance crop improvement for functional food development.
- Characterization of traditional functional foods and their incorporation into staple foods can effectively combat malnutrition.
Conclusions:
- Omics technologies are crucial for unlocking the potential of functional foods and ensuring nutritional security.
- A multidisciplinary approach integrating omics, AI, and traditional knowledge is needed for effective crop improvement.
- Further research into traditional functional foods and their application in staple crops is essential to address global hunger and malnutrition.
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