Recent Advances in Metabolomic Research Within Food Mycology

In food science, fungi demonstrate a paradoxical role: some species contribute positively by improving food's flavor, aroma, and texture, while others undermine food safety and quality, leading to spoilage or contamination through the production of harmful mycotoxins. When fungi colonize food materials, they produce distinct chemical profiles consisting of both primary and secondary metabolites. Metabolomics, a field dedicated to the analysis of small molecular compounds within biological entities, offers valuable insights into fungal metabolic activities and their impact on food safety and quality. This paper explores recent progress in applying metabolomics to investigate fungi within food systems, focusing on the complex interactions between fungi and their environments. Additionally, it identifies promising directions for advancing research in this rapidly evolving domain.