Edible Plants with Antimicrobial Potential - Report of the Expert Meetings from Ibero-American Countries

Infectious diseases caused by viruses, fungi, parasites, and bacteria continue to pose significant challenges to public health globally. In this context, the Ibero-American Program of Science and Technology for Development (CYTED) Network, "Potential Antimicrobial Agents Present in Plant Foods of Regional Interest" (REDALIM-MIC), aims to detect antimicrobial compounds in edible plants from Ibero-American countries and to promote collaborative research on their potential applications in health and nutrition. This report summarizes the main discussions and key outcomes of expert meetings conducted within the REDALIM-MIC Network, underscoring the importance of integrated and interdisciplinary research, with particular emphasis on the potential of edible plants as innovative and sustainable sources of bioactive compounds for the prevention and control of infectious diseases. Key outcomes included the identification of promising plant species and the prioritization of bioactive extracts for further phytochemical characterization and pharmacological evaluation. The potential application of these findings in the development of scientific evidence-based functional claims for foods and novel therapeutics, as well as the importance of strengthening regional collaboration, was also recognized. The REDALIM-MIC Network focuses on detecting antimicrobial compounds in edible plant species, evaluating their immunomodulatory properties, assessing their nutritional and health value, and fostering collaboration among Ibero-American institutions to support innovative, food-based approaches for preventing and managing infectious diseases. During the meetings, key topics such as regulatory frameworks, analytical techniques, quality control, methodologies, and cell-based assays for the evaluation of their antimicrobial activity were discussed. In addition, good agricultural practices and biotechnological tools for sustainable production were addressed.