An estimated 343 million people worldwide are grappling with acute food insecurity in countries where the World Food Program operates. This staggering figure is a symptom of systemic issues such as climate emergencies, economic instability, and inefficiencies across our food systems.

Floods, droughts, and heatwaves are wiping out crops, degrading soil, and damaging food production infrastructure. Adding to this crisis, nearly 30% of global food is lost or wasted each year, often due to limited access to technology, markets, and food safety measures.

This year’s World Hunger Day theme, Sowing Resilience, underscores the urgent need to build systems that can adapt to climate change, promote good nutrition, and ensure safer, more reliable food for all. Food safety is among the foundational pillars of this effort.

These three Research Topics explore how strengthening food safety across the supply chain, supporting innovations in sustainable aquaculture, and advancing microbiomics research can lay the groundwork for more resilient and equitable food systems.

All articles are freely available to view and download.

1 | Sustainable aquaculture production for improved food security

45,000 views | 13 articles

This Research Topic highlights aquaculture’s contribution to food security by developing sound, sustainable production practices. It explores all three pillars of sustainability:

• environmental: technologies that optimize fish production while minimizing environmental impact

• economic: value chain analysis, market access for fish products and policy analysis

• social: socially responsible aquaculture practices that support food security and community well-being.

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2 | Ensuring food safety and quality throughout the supply chain

12,000 views | 15 articles

Managing crop diseases while reducing reliance on chemical agents is a crucial challenge for ensuring food security and sustainable agricultural production.

This Research Topic brings together studies that address key research gaps in food safety. It features research on biological agents that may help prevent and control emerging pathogens, along with their characterization. It also examines the factors contributing to the emergence and spread of these pathogens, including pesticide use and growing resistance to antibiotics and antifungals.

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3 | Microbiomics in food security: paradigm shift in omics

50,200 views | 10 articles

This Research Topic explores recent advances in omics-based technologies and their application in sustainable agricultural practices. It places particular emphasis on microbiomics studies of agroecosystems to enhance plant health and soil fertility.

To fully harness the potential of omics techniques, novel transdisciplinary approaches are needed to move beyond descriptive analysis toward a more quantitative, process-level understanding. Microbiomics and multi-omics approaches support this shift by integrating data from multiple omics disciplines and enabling the study of entire microbial communities in context.

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