CRISPR Applications in Food Microbiology: Enhancing Safety and Quality

The field of food microbiology has witnessed a transformative change with the advent of CRISPR technology, which offers innovative solutions for genome editing with high precision. This cutting-edge technology has immense potential to revolutionize the food industry by enhancing the safety, quality, and sustainability of food products along the entire supply chain. Despite its vast potential, there remain critical gaps and ongoing debates in the implementation of CRISPR in food microbiology, particularly concerning regulatory, ethical, and safety issues. The current state of knowledge indicates significant developments concerning the rapid detection of pathogens and the engineering of beneficial microbes. However, there is a pressing need for more comprehensive research to fully understand and utilize CRISPR technology in this sector.

This Research Topic aims to consolidate and disseminate the latest studies on the diverse applications of CRISPR technology within food microbiology. Specifically, it seeks to address questions concerning the development and application of CRISPR-based tools for pathogen detection, the engineering of microbes for improved fermentation, enhancements in flavor and nutritional content, and strategies for reducing foodborne outbreaks. The topic will also explore regulatory, ethical, and safety considerations surrounding CRISPR-modified microorganisms. By gathering insights from multidisciplinary studies, the Research Topic aspires to bridge existing gaps and catalyze advancements in CRISPR applications to create safer, healthier, and more sustainable food systems worldwide.

The scope of this Research Topic includes a broad range of articles that explore and challenge current trends and limitations in CRISPR applications in food microbiology. We invite submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

o Development of CRISPR-based diagnostics for rapid pathogen detection.
o Engineering of beneficial microbes to improve fermentation and nutritional quality.
o Control of harmful bacteria to mitigate foodborne outbreaks.
o Regulatory and ethical considerations in CRISPR applications.
o Characterization of microbial communities in foods using advanced CRISPR tools.
o Case studies illustrating CRISPR's impact on food safety and shelf life.

This collection of articles aims to spark dialogue, inspire future innovations, and encourage the responsible and effective integration of CRISPR technology in food microbiology.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: CRISPR, food microbiology, genome editing, food safety, food quality, microbiome engineering, pathogen detection, fermentation

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.