Future trends in Food Science and Foodomics: a perspective view by the Editorial Team of Exploration of Foods and Foodomics

In this perspective article, several internationally recognized experts, members of the editorial team of this journal, discuss a selection of current hot topics identified in Food Science and Foodomics. The topics are comprised of the main areas of Food Science and Foodomics, namely, food safety, food authenticity, food processing, and food bioactivity. Logically, several of the discussed topics involve more than one of the mentioned main areas. Regarding food safety, the topics discussed are the use of analytical nanotechnology, nanometrology, nano-chromatography; the determination of organic contaminants based on MS and NMR; the impact of microplastics and nanoplastics on food or the contamination of foods with plant toxins. Regarding food authenticity, the paper discusses the role of MS, NMR, biosensors and the new trends in foodomics for food authentication. In terms of food processing, the work shows interesting perspectives on novel processing technologies, the effect of food processing on the gut microbiota or in the interaction among secondary metabolites and macromolecules; the development of active packaging, and the potential effects of introducing recycled plastics in food packaging; the new green extraction and encapsulation strategies of bioactive compounds from food by-products; and the anti-biofilm capacity of natural compounds/extracts/vegetal oils and essential oils. Food bioactivity and the relation between food and health includes the bioavailability and bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds; new trends and challenges in the interaction of nutraceuticals with biological systems; how food matrix impacts the bioaccessibility of nutrients and bioactive compounds; or the study of biodiversity, food and human health through one-health concept. We anticipate elaborations on these hot topics will promote further studies in Food Science and Foodomics.

José S. Câmara was supported by FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia through the CQM Base Fund, [UIDB/00674/2020], Programmatic Fund, [UIDP/00674/2020], and by ARDITI-Agência Regional para o Desenvolvimento da Investigação Tecnologia e Inovação, through the project M1420-01-0145-FEDER-000005—Centro de Química da Madeira—CQM+ (Madeira 14-20 Program). Xianhua Liu was supported by the grant from the NSFC [#42377380] on data collection and analysis. Ángel Rios thanks for the support given by Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation grant number [PID2022-138761NB-I00], and by Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha grant number [JCCM SBPLY/21/180501/000188]. Paula Martins-Lopes thanks to FCT- BioISI center grants (DOI: 10.54499/UIDB/04046/2020). Francesco Capozzi thanks the support from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3 - Call for tender No. 341 of March 15, 2022, of Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union—NextGenerationEU; Award Number: Project code [PE00000003], Concession Decree No. 1550 of October 11, 2022, adopted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, [CUP D93C22000890001], Project title “ON Foods - Research and innovation network on food and nutrition Sustainability, Safety and Security – Working ON Foods”. Ana Sanches Silva was supported by [UIDB/00211/2020] with funding from FCT/MCTES through national funds. Luca Rastrelli was supported by the following project: “National Biodiversity Future Center - NBFC” funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.4 - Call for tender No. 3138 of December 16, 2021, rectified by Decree n.3175 of December 18, 2021, of Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU, Project code [CN_00000033], Concession Decree No. 1034 of June 17, 2022, adopted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, [CUP D43C22001260001]. Ivone Vaz-Moreira was also supported by funding from the National Funds from FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia through project [UIDB/50016/2020]. Yolanda Picó was supported by Grant [RTI2018-097158-B-C31] funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and “ERDF A way of making Europe” and by the Grant [CIPROM/2021/032] by the Generalitat Valenciana. Filomena Nazzaro thanks the support from: 1) the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 3.1 “STRENGTHENING THE MIRRI ITALIAN RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SUSTAINABLE BIOSCIENCE AND BIOECONOMY” – (SUS-MIRRI.IT) supported by the Italian Ministry of University, Project code [IR0000005 – SUS-MIRRI – D.D n. 3264 del 28/12/2021 - DD MUR n. 114 del 21/06/2022 - CUP CNR D13C22001390001], and 2): the National Recovery and Resilience Plan Project “National Research Centre for Agricultural Technologies, Agritech”, Spoke 8 “New models of circular economy in agriculture through the valorization and recycle of wastes” [CUP B83C22002840001], supported by the Italian Ministry of University. Dilip K. Rai was supported by the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine under the grant [DAFM2021R616] (Flavoromics of Grass-Fed Beef and Lamb). Alejandro Cifuentes, Elena Ibañez, Jose Antonio Mendiola and Miguel Herrero were supported by grant [PID2020-113050RB-I00] funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (Spain). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Peer reviewed