Next-generation sequencing applications in food science: fundamentals and recent advances

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized food science, offering unprecedented insights into microbial communities, food safety, fermentation, and product authenticity. NGS techniques, including metagenetics, metagenomics, and metatranscriptomics, enable culture-independent pathogen detect...

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Main Authors: Joel Tigrero-Vaca, Byron Díaz, Ganyu Gu, Juan Manuel Cevallos-Cevallos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2025.1638957/full
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author Joel Tigrero-Vaca
Byron Díaz
Ganyu Gu
Juan Manuel Cevallos-Cevallos
author_facet Joel Tigrero-Vaca
Byron Díaz
Ganyu Gu
Juan Manuel Cevallos-Cevallos
author_sort Joel Tigrero-Vaca
collection DOAJ
description Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized food science, offering unprecedented insights into microbial communities, food safety, fermentation, and product authenticity. NGS techniques, including metagenetics, metagenomics, and metatranscriptomics, enable culture-independent pathogen detection, antimicrobial resistance surveillance, and detailed microbial profiling, significantly improving food safety monitoring and outbreak prevention. In food fermentation, NGS has enhanced our understanding of microbial interactions, flavor formation, and metabolic pathways, contributing to optimized starter cultures and improved product quality. Furthermore, NGS has become a valuable tool in food authentication and traceability, ensuring product integrity and detecting fraud. Despite its advantages, challenges such as high sequencing costs, data interpretation complexity, and the need for standardized workflows remain. Future research focusing on optimizing real-time sequencing technologies, expanding multi-omics approaches, and addressing regulatory frameworks is suggested to fully harness NGS’s potential in ensuring food safety, quality, and innovation.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2296-4185
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publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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series Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
spelling doaj-art-09e997f66ceb48f5bca6b5bbe43e078e2025-08-20T05:32:45ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology2296-41852025-08-011310.3389/fbioe.2025.16389571638957Next-generation sequencing applications in food science: fundamentals and recent advancesJoel Tigrero-Vaca0Byron Díaz1Ganyu Gu2Juan Manuel Cevallos-Cevallos3Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Centro de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas del Ecuador (CIBE), Guayaquil, EcuadorEscuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Centro de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas del Ecuador (CIBE), Guayaquil, EcuadorEnvironmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, USDA ARS, Beltsville, MD, United StatesEscuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Centro de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas del Ecuador (CIBE), Guayaquil, EcuadorNext-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized food science, offering unprecedented insights into microbial communities, food safety, fermentation, and product authenticity. NGS techniques, including metagenetics, metagenomics, and metatranscriptomics, enable culture-independent pathogen detection, antimicrobial resistance surveillance, and detailed microbial profiling, significantly improving food safety monitoring and outbreak prevention. In food fermentation, NGS has enhanced our understanding of microbial interactions, flavor formation, and metabolic pathways, contributing to optimized starter cultures and improved product quality. Furthermore, NGS has become a valuable tool in food authentication and traceability, ensuring product integrity and detecting fraud. Despite its advantages, challenges such as high sequencing costs, data interpretation complexity, and the need for standardized workflows remain. Future research focusing on optimizing real-time sequencing technologies, expanding multi-omics approaches, and addressing regulatory frameworks is suggested to fully harness NGS’s potential in ensuring food safety, quality, and innovation.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2025.1638957/fullnext-generation sequencingfood microbiomefermentationfood safetyfood authentication
spellingShingle Joel Tigrero-Vaca
Byron Díaz
Ganyu Gu
Juan Manuel Cevallos-Cevallos
Next-generation sequencing applications in food science: fundamentals and recent advances
Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
next-generation sequencing
food microbiome
fermentation
food safety
food authentication
title Next-generation sequencing applications in food science: fundamentals and recent advances
title_full Next-generation sequencing applications in food science: fundamentals and recent advances
title_fullStr Next-generation sequencing applications in food science: fundamentals and recent advances
title_full_unstemmed Next-generation sequencing applications in food science: fundamentals and recent advances
title_short Next-generation sequencing applications in food science: fundamentals and recent advances
title_sort next generation sequencing applications in food science fundamentals and recent advances
topic next-generation sequencing
food microbiome
fermentation
food safety
food authentication
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2025.1638957/full
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