Harnessing Microbial Power for a Sustainable Future Food System

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Sustainable Systems

Background:

• Microorganisms are pivotal for sustainable agriculture, food production, waste management, bioenergy, and industrial bioprocessing.
• These microbial applications are crucial for developing resilient food systems for the future.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the last 20 years of literature on microbial systems for sustainable applications.
• To identify key advances, challenges, and future directions in harnessing microbes for a resilient food system.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review covering the past two decades.
• Analysis of trends, innovations, and limitations in microbial applications for sustainability.

Main Results:

• Key trends include metabolic engineering, omics technologies, integrated biorefineries, and digital monitoring.
• Major advantages are reduced ecological impact, waste valorization, and diversified food sources.
• Challenges include high scaling costs, regulatory hurdles, and limited public acceptance.

Conclusions:

• Microbial innovations are catalysts for a circular bioeconomy and climate-resilient food systems.
• A multi-stakeholder roadmap is proposed to accelerate the transition, overcoming current limitations.