Emerging Bioprocess Engineering and Microbial Innovation in Food and Beverage Fermentations

Fermentation remains one of the most important biotechnological routes for transforming raw materials into high-value foods and beverages, while also improving stability, sensory complexity, functionality, and process efficiency. In recent years, the field has advanced well beyond conventional empirical practice, driven by new microbial resources, immobilised biocatalysts, process intensification strategies, digital monitoring tools, and high-resolution analytical methods. These developments are especially visible in wine, beer, cider, kombucha, and other fermented beverage systems, but they are also increasingly relevant to grain-, legume-, dairy-, meat-, and seafood-based fermentations. At the same time, industry demand for more sustainable production, better process control, valorisation of by-products, and differentiated low- or no-alcohol products is creating new opportunities for bioengineering-led research.

This Research Topic aims to gather contributions that advance the bioengineering and biotechnology of food and beverage fermentations, with particular emphasis on microbial innovation and process design. We welcome studies that improve fermentation performance, product quality, reproducibility, and sustainability through the application of novel starter cultures, non-Saccharomyces yeasts, bacterial consortia, mixed fermentations, immobilized cells or enzymes, and metabolically engineered strains. We are also interested in work addressing batch, fed-batch, continuous, and solid-state fermentation systems; smart monitoring and control using sensors, digital twins, machine learning, or AI; and kinetic and predictive models that help bridge laboratory insight with industrial implementation. Contributions focused on wine, beer, and other fermented beverages are particularly encouraged, alongside transferable approaches relevant to broader food fermentation systems. By bringing together microbiology, bioprocess engineering, analytical biotechnology, and systems-level characterisation, this Topic seeks to highlight practical and mechanistic advances that can shape the next generation of fermentation processes.

We invite Original Research, Reviews, Mini Reviews, and Methods papers covering fermentation biotechnology in foods and beverages. Relevant themes include:
• Process monitoring and control
• Fermentation kinetics and modelling
• Microbial interactions
• Starter culture development
• Immobilisation technologies
• Metabolic and cellular engineering
• Low- and no-alcohol fermentation strategies
• Omics and next-generation sequencing approaches
• Instrumental analysis including chromatographic, spectroscopic, and related platforms.

Studies on the valorisation of fermentation by-products and side streams are also welcome where biotechnology is central. Submissions should demonstrate a clear bioengineering, bioprocess, microbial, molecular, or analytical innovation angle. Manuscripts focused only on descriptive product characterisation, routine formulation, or sensory testing without a strong biotechnology component will be less competitive.