About this Research Topic

Background

Fermentation has a long history as a means of transforming and preserving food, dating from the early age of crop cultivation. This chemical process was recognized as the result of the metabolic activities of microorganisms in the mid-19th century, when Louis Pasteur elucidated alcoholic fermentation to be associated with life and structural integrity of cells. In contrast to positive impacts of fermentation, metabolic activities of some microorganisms adversely affect human health by poisoning agricultural products. The description of such negative impact of microbial metabolism was made in the same era by Louis Tulasne, who showed that toxic ergot sclerotia were produced by a fungus, but not by the rye itself. The pathogenic Claviceps fungus was later shown to synthesize ergot alkaloid mycotoxins in the sclerotia.

Owing to the immense impacts of microorganisms on food and agricultural production in both beneficial and detrimental ways, studies of bacteria, yeast, and mold relevant to these industries have been major subjects of microbiological research. Recent advances of modern technology and scientific knowledge provided impetus to better understand microbial processes affecting food quality. For example, massive parallel DNA sequencing reveals the microbial flora contained in sake, which includes kuratsuki bacteria and yeast, leading to the hypothesis that the specific flavor and taste of sake are derived from the brewery-specific bacteria and yeast. Comparative genomic and functional genetic studies of ergot fungi revealed that gain, loss, and functional changes of the biosynthesis genes created structural diversity of the alkaloids produced. Similarly, analyses of multiple genera of fungi that produce more diverse classes of mycotoxins provide new insights into the evolutionary processes responsible for structural diversification of mycotoxins. Such findings will accelerate research on how microbial metabolism affects the quality and safety of cereal grain products.

This Research Topic collects papers that explore our current understanding of microbial activities in agricultural and food production, focusing on metabolic aspects. We welcome Original Research, Methods, Reviews, and Perspectives on:
• Identification of microorganisms in relation to their possible role in food and beverage production
• Biochemical and molecular genetic characterization of primary and secondary metabolism of microorganisms involved
• Investigations on quality, safety, and functionality of food products in relation to microbial metabolic activities
• Diversity and evolutionary characteristics of beneficial and deleterious microorganisms in agricultural products

Keywords: Agriculture, food industry, food safety, agri-food ecosystem, metabolism, acetic acid bacteria, Aspergillus, fermented food and beverage, lactic acid bacteria, mycotoxin biosynthesis genes, primary and secondary metabolism, yeast

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