Directed Evolution of Microbial Communities in Fermented Foods: Strategies, Mechanisms, and Challenges
Directed Evolution of Microbial Communities (DEMC) offers a promising approach to enhance the functional attributes of microbial consortia in fermented foods by mimicking natural selection processes. This review details the application of DEMC in fermented foods, focusing on optimizing community tra...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/2/216 |
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| author | Zihan Yao Ting Xie Hongjie Deng Shuzhi Xiao Tao Yang |
| author_facet | Zihan Yao Ting Xie Hongjie Deng Shuzhi Xiao Tao Yang |
| author_sort | Zihan Yao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Directed Evolution of Microbial Communities (DEMC) offers a promising approach to enhance the functional attributes of microbial consortia in fermented foods by mimicking natural selection processes. This review details the application of DEMC in fermented foods, focusing on optimizing community traits to improve both fermentation efficiency and the sensory quality of the final products. We outline the core techniques used in DEMC, including the strategic construction of initial microbial communities, the systematic introduction of stress factors to induce desirable traits, and the use of artificial selection to cultivate superior communities. Additionally, we explore the integration of genomic tools and dynamic community analysis to understand and guide the evolutionary trajectories of these communities. While DEMC shows substantial potential for refining fermented food products, it faces challenges such as maintaining genetic diversity and functional stability of the communities. Looking ahead, the integration of advanced omics technologies and computational modeling is anticipated to significantly enhance the predictability and control of microbial community evolution in food fermentation processes. By systematically improving the selection and management of microbial traits, DEMC serves as a crucial tool for enhancing the quality and consistency of fermented foods, directly contributing to more robust and efficient food production systems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b22dcd2b5fc84d84ab643977796ae14f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj-art-b22dcd2b5fc84d84ab643977796ae14f2025-01-24T13:32:53ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-01-0114221610.3390/foods14020216Directed Evolution of Microbial Communities in Fermented Foods: Strategies, Mechanisms, and ChallengesZihan Yao0Ting Xie1Hongjie Deng2Shuzhi Xiao3Tao Yang4College of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, ChinaCollege of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, ChinaCollege of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, ChinaCollege of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, ChinaCollege of Food Science and Engineering, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, ChinaDirected Evolution of Microbial Communities (DEMC) offers a promising approach to enhance the functional attributes of microbial consortia in fermented foods by mimicking natural selection processes. This review details the application of DEMC in fermented foods, focusing on optimizing community traits to improve both fermentation efficiency and the sensory quality of the final products. We outline the core techniques used in DEMC, including the strategic construction of initial microbial communities, the systematic introduction of stress factors to induce desirable traits, and the use of artificial selection to cultivate superior communities. Additionally, we explore the integration of genomic tools and dynamic community analysis to understand and guide the evolutionary trajectories of these communities. While DEMC shows substantial potential for refining fermented food products, it faces challenges such as maintaining genetic diversity and functional stability of the communities. Looking ahead, the integration of advanced omics technologies and computational modeling is anticipated to significantly enhance the predictability and control of microbial community evolution in food fermentation processes. By systematically improving the selection and management of microbial traits, DEMC serves as a crucial tool for enhancing the quality and consistency of fermented foods, directly contributing to more robust and efficient food production systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/2/216directed evolutionfermented foodsmicrobial communitiesfunctional optimization |
| spellingShingle | Zihan Yao Ting Xie Hongjie Deng Shuzhi Xiao Tao Yang Directed Evolution of Microbial Communities in Fermented Foods: Strategies, Mechanisms, and Challenges Foods directed evolution fermented foods microbial communities functional optimization |
| title | Directed Evolution of Microbial Communities in Fermented Foods: Strategies, Mechanisms, and Challenges |
| title_full | Directed Evolution of Microbial Communities in Fermented Foods: Strategies, Mechanisms, and Challenges |
| title_fullStr | Directed Evolution of Microbial Communities in Fermented Foods: Strategies, Mechanisms, and Challenges |
| title_full_unstemmed | Directed Evolution of Microbial Communities in Fermented Foods: Strategies, Mechanisms, and Challenges |
| title_short | Directed Evolution of Microbial Communities in Fermented Foods: Strategies, Mechanisms, and Challenges |
| title_sort | directed evolution of microbial communities in fermented foods strategies mechanisms and challenges |
| topic | directed evolution fermented foods microbial communities functional optimization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/2/216 |
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