Microbes of traditional fermentation processes as synthetic biology chassis to tackle future food challenges

Abstract

Microbial diversity is magnificent and essential to almost all life on Earth. Microbes are an essential part of every human, allowing us to utilize otherwise inaccessible resources. It is no surprise that humans started, initially unconsciously, domesticating microbes for food production: one may call this microbial domestication 1.0. Sourdough bread is just one of the miracles performed by microbial fermentation, allowing extraction of more nutrients from flour and at the same time creating a fluffy and delicious loaf. There are a broad range of products the production of which requires fermentation such as chocolate, cheese, coffee and vinegar. Eventually, with the rise of microscopy, humans became aware of microbial life. Today our knowledge and technological advances allow us to genetically engineer microbes - one may call this microbial domestication 2.0. Synthetic biology and microbial chassis adaptation allow us to tackle current and future food challenges. One of the most apparent challenges is the limited space on Earth available for agriculture and its major tolls on the environment through use of pesticides and the replacement of ecosystems with monocultures. Further challenges include transport and packaging, exacerbated by the 24/7 on-demand mentality of many customers. Synthetic biology already tackles multiple food challenges and will be able to tackle many future food challenges. In this perspective article, we highlight recent microbial synthetic biology research to address future food challenges. We further give a perspective on how synthetic biology tools may teach old microbes new tricks, and what standardized microbial domestication could look like.

A novel image-based method for simultaneous counting of Lactobacillus and Saccharomyces in mixed culture fermentation

“…Yeast anaerobic fermentation yields ethanol and a myriad of other desirable and undesirable metabolic byproducts (Boulton & Quain, 2006 ; Swiegers et al, 2005 ). Examples of yeast-fermented products cover a broad range, including alcoholic beverages, kombucha, bread, and biofuels (Liszkowska & Berlowska, 2021 ; Rojas et al, 2022 ). Lactic acid bacteria (LABs) are a group of bacteria that are known for their probiotic properties and production of unique flavors in foods such as fermented yogurts, dairy products, and vegetables (Mathur et al, 2020 ).…”

Current Research on Flavor Compounds in Fermented Food Products

“…Recent advancements in the field of food science have spurred a surge of research focused on unraveling the intricate world of flavor compounds in fermented food products [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Fermentation, a traditional food preservation method, not only enhances the shelf life and nutritional value of foods but also imparts unique and complex flavors.…”