Industrial Food Production Research Articles

Automated Classification of Biscuit Quality Using YOLOv8 Models in Food Industry

Abstract It is of great importance for food safety and consumer satisfaction that industrial food products are durable, hygienic, and flawless. Robust products protect the physical integrity of the product by preventing damage that may occur during the production and transportation processes, which meets the expectations of the consumer. Hygienic production conditions prevent foodborne diseases by minimizing the risk of microbial contamination and protect consumer health. Perfect products strengthen the brand image with their aesthetic and satisfactory features and increase consumer loyalty. In the study conducted in this context, the classification of defect and no defect conditions of biscuits in the food industry was examined using YOLOv8 models. A summary dataset consisting of 4990 biscuit images was created and the biscuits were initially divided into two categories: defect and no defect. Later, defect biscuits were classified into three subcategories: not complete, overcooked, and texture defect. As a result of experiments with YOLOv8 models, binary classification (defect, no defect), the highest accuracy rate was achieved in the YOLOv8-m, YOLOv8-l, and YOLOv8-x models with 96.78%, while the highest accuracy rate in the triple classification (not complete, overcooked, and texture defect) performance was achieved in the YOLOv8-m model with 96.99%.

Bibliometric Analysis of Probiotic Bacillus in Food Science: Evolution of Research Trends and Systematic Evaluation.

With the in-depth and comprehensive research on probiotic Bacillus, it has become a hot topic in food science. However, the current status of research using bibliometric analysis to assess the application of probiotic Bacillus in food science has not been comprehensively reviewed. The Web of Science (WOS) database was used in this review's bibliometric analysis to determine the hotspots for research as well as the extent of completed experiments. Furthermore, a systematic review was conducted on the research hotspots of probiotic Bacillus in food science. The comprehensive analysis showed it was a growing and global research field. The keywords with high frequency mainly included "spore," "strain," and "production," which were research hot topics in the last decade. The application of the spore form or nutrient cells of probiotic Bacillus in industrialized food production through nutrient fortification, fermentation agents, and highly efficient synthesis of metabolites showed great development potential.

Evaluation of the fatty acid profiles, antioxidant activities, and total phenol and vitamin E contents of three types of Saudi date seed oils

Date seed oil is well known for its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids, especially oleic acid, and antioxidant compounds, such as phenols, tocopherols, phytosterols and vitamin A, which play an important role in reducing the risk of many diseases. Therefore, date seed oil extraction and processing into different pharmaceutical and cosmetic products may be economically beneficial and could be considered an important opportunity for future v industrial utilization. The main goal of this study is to investigate the fatty acid composition, antioxidant activities, and total polyphenol and vitamin E contents of oils extracted from the seeds of three types of Saudi date cultivars: Al-Raziz, Al-Khalas, and Al-Ajwa. Hexane and petroleum ether organic solvents were used for oil extraction due to the unavailability of cold extraction devices. Date seed oils extracted from the specified Saudi date cultivars were further subjected to chemical and statistical analyses using standard Methods. Total lipid extracted from the Al-Raziz, Al-Khalas, and Al-Ajwa date seeds cultivars was 10.38-12.65 g/100 g with hexane and 10.21-12.69 g /100 g with petroleum ether, with no significant differences between them. Oleic, lauric, myristic, palmitic, linoleic, and stearic acids were the most abundant fatty acids in all three types of date seed oils. Particularly, oleic acid accounted for nearly half of the total fatty acid content (48.2-51.12%) in all three types of date seed oils. Total saturated fatty acid contents were 42.2, 40.1, and 43.4% and the total unsaturated fatty acid contents were 57.8, 59.0, and 56.6% in the date seed oils of Al-Khalas, Al-Raziz, and Al-Ajwa, respectively. All date seed oils had high contents of antioxidants (41.1-63.2%), phenols (274.0-302.53%), and vitamin E (16.68-19.2%). Therefore, Al-Raziz, Al-Khalas, and AlAjwa date seed oils can be used for industrial food and caffeine-free coffee production and the development of cosmetic and pharmaceutics products for skin microbial disease and wound treatment. Here, date seed oils were very rich in antioxidants, phenols, and vitamin E, with some fatty acids, such as lauric acid, exhibiting antimicrobial activities. Future studies should investigate the degree of fat oxidation and changes in the total phenol, vitamin E, phytosterol, and phytochemical compound contents during date storage.

Analysis of the evolution in the number of manufacturing companies in Portugal between 2009 and 2021 to understand growth and decline trends

This project analyzes the evolution of the manufacturing sector in Portugal from 2009 to 2021, focusing on the variations in the number of active companies across various subcategories, such as food, textiles, and metal product industries. The goal of this analysis is to understand the dynamics of growth and contraction within each sector, providing insights for companies to adjust their market and operational strategies. Key objectives include analyzing the overall evolution in the number of companies, identifying subcategories with notable changes, and providing a comprehensive analysis of observed trends and patterns. The study is based on data from PORDATA 2024, and the research employs temporal trend analysis, linear and quadratic regression, and the Pareto representation to identify patterns of growth and decline. By comparing annual data, the project uncovers periods of growth and decline, allowing for a deeper understanding of the sector’s dynamics. The findings also highlight variations in periods of economic crises and during the Covid-19 pandemic, and recommendations for action are presented to support businesses resilience and continuity. These results are valuable for companies within the manufacturing sectors analyzed and policy makers, guiding strategic decisions to navigate the complexities of the market dynamics and to ensuring long-term organizational sustainable success.

Human and Veterinary Medicine Collaboration: Synergistic Approach to Address Antimicrobial Resistance Through the Lens of Planetary Health.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a critical threat to human, animal, and environmental health, challenging global efforts to maintain sustainable ecosystems and public health systems. In this review, the complex, cross-disciplinary issues of AMR are explored within the framework of planetary health, emphasizing the interconnectedness of human and veterinary medicine with broader environmental and social systems. Specifically, it addresses the social, economic, environmental, and health dimensions of AMR under the planetary health framework. The social aspects consider how public awareness, education, and healthcare practices shape antimicrobial use (AMU) and resistance patterns. The economic impact evaluates the cost burdens of AMR, including healthcare costs, loss of productivity, and the implications for the livestock and food production industries. The environmental dimension highlights the role of pharmaceutical waste, agricultural runoff, and industrial pollution in contributing to the spread of antimicrobials and resistant pathogens in ecosystems. To illustrate these challenges, a comprehensive literature review using the PubMed and Web of Science databases was conducted, identifying 91 relevant articles on planetary health and AMR. In this review, the knowledge from these studies and additional references is integrated to provide a holistic overview of the AMR crisis. By applying the four pillars of planetary health-social, economic, environmental, and health knowledge-in this manuscript, the necessity is underscored of collaborative strategies across human and veterinary medicine to combat AMR. Ultimately, this synergistic approach aims to shape the policies and practices that safeguard public health, protect ecosystems, and promote a sustainable future by implementing antimicrobial stewardship programs and encouraging prudent AMU.

Exploring the effect of natural deep eutectic solvents on zein: Structural and functional properties.

This study evaluated the effects of chemical modification, including ethanol, acetic acid, and natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), on the secondary and tertiary structures, hydrophobicity, free amine content, protein-protein interactions, and functional properties of zein. The NADES used included choline chloride: oxalic acid, choline chloride: urea, choline chloride: glycerol, and glucose: citric acid. The results reveal that the NADES system significantly altered zein's structures, as evidenced by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, fluorescence, and Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy analysis. Circular dichroism spectroscopy analysis indicated significant conformational change in modified zein, with decreased α-helix and increased random coil content. Notably, the NADES system leads to greater disruption of hydrogen bonds and facilitates the exposure of hydrophobic regions compared to water, ethanol, and acetic acid systems. This resulted in enhanced solubility, surface hydrophobicity, and free amine content in zein, indicating a more significant change in protein structure. In contrast, water and acetic acid solvents maintained more stable disulfide bonds within zein, which correlates with lower solubility and less unfolding. The NADES system promoted interactions between zein and its solvent components, improving emulsifying properties. Water, ethanol, and acetic acid systems had higher solubility in urea, thiourea, and dithiothreitol than the NADES system, revealing disruption of both covalent and noncovalent bonds in zein modified by NADES. Overall, this study highlights the superior ability of the NADES system to modify zein's structure and functionality compared to conventional solvents, suggesting its potential for enhancing protein applications in the industrial production of foods.

Simultaneous extraction and purification of polysaccharides and proteins from Pleurotus ostreatus using an aqueous two-phase system.

Pleurotus ostreatus is a nutrient-dense edible fungus renowned for its delicate texture, appealing flavor, and numerous potential health benefits. Simultaneous extraction within the framework of food resource processing facilitates the concurrent isolation and analysis of multiple target compounds. In this study, an ethanol/salt aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) was employed to extract polysaccharides (PS) and proteins from P. ostreatus. The impacts of pH, inorganic salts, and temperature on ATPS phase formation were systematically evaluated. The ethanol/K₂HPO₄ system demonstrated superior selective extraction performance under optimal conditions: 25.16% ethanol (w/w), 15.91% K₂HPO₄ (w/w), and 24.11% crude extract (w/w) without pH adjustment. The highest recovery efficiency of PS and proteins were 90.29%±0.24% and 76.35%±0.15%, respectively. The simultaneous extraction efficiency of PS and proteins was 12.49%±0.14% and 20.34%±0.09%, respectively. As a comparison, hot water extraction and alkali extraction methods were performed to assess the impact of ATPS on the physicochemical properties of PS and proteins. SDS-PAGE and HPLC analyses confirmed that the protein subunit distribution was consistent across different extraction methods, whereas the ATPS-extracted PS exhibited characteristics of homogeneous heteropolysaccharides with a molecular weight of 28.8×10⁶Da. Monosaccharides such as mannose, glucuronic acid, and glucose were identified in the PS hydrolysate. The results demonstrate that ATPS preserves the physicochemical integrity of the extracted substances. This method holds promise for unlocking new possibilities and has the potential to become an effective method for large-scale extraction and purification of polysaccharides and proteins from edible fungi. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This work describes an efficient and straightforward aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) method for simultaneously extracting polysaccharides and proteins from Pleurotus ostreatus. This approach offers advantages such as reduced operational time, lower toxicity solvents, and minimized byproduct waste for the extraction of bioactive substances from edible fungi. Additionally, the reduced residue levels help to shorten subsequent purification steps. This promising method has potential applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and health product industries.

Modeling of the qualitative state of oilseeds from soybean seeds by multifactorial analysis of factor areas

The production of oil products in Ukraine is a leader not only in the European but also in the world market of food and processing industry products, therefore, the priority areas of scientific research in this field are the effective assessment of the quality of the oil obtained. Existing methods for assessing this product by organoleptic characteristics are subjective and do not allow the use of parameters that require more complex measurement technologies; which in general makes it impossible to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the quality of the studied product. The purpose of this study was to develop and implement a mathematical modeling method for numerical analysis of the quality of soybean oil product varieties. Qualitative assessment of the studied oil varieties was carried out using such indicators as the mass fraction of fat, peroxide, and acid number; content of free fatty acids, phosphatides, moisture, and impurities; it allowed to perform a numerical analysis using dimensionless complexes regarding the condition of the studied oil product varieties and compliance with regulatory indicators. When processing experimental data and calculating the developed quality criteria, programming methods, Excel, and COMPASS mathematical environments were used, which allowed the construction of geometric quality models and the necessary assessment criteria. According to the results of the research, it turned out that the characteristics of the studied varieties "OAS Avatar", "ES Mentor", "Sigalia", "ES Mentor" and "Gallek" do not meet the requirements for compliance with the quality thresholds by 160 - 220%, however, their current characteristics, which were selected for assessment, are within the average normative indicators. The proposed mathematical models can be implemented for practical application in assessing the condition of any complex object of research using an unlimited number of characteristics. At the same time, the main requirements for these parameters are their breadth of coverage of the physical, mechanical, and chemical-biological properties of the product and the ability to provide an objective and thorough assessment of its condition.

Microbe Profile: Salmonella Typhimurium: the master of the art of adaptation.

Salmonella Typhimurium is a major Salmonella serovar that is found globally. It is responsible for outbreaks of self-limiting gastroenteritis that are broadly linked to the industrialization of food production. S. Typhimurium is a pathogen with a broad host range and remarkable metabolic versatility. The ∼5 Mb genome includes the pSLT virulence plasmid and has a characteristic prophage repertoire. The major virulence determinants are encoded by a variety of pathogenicity islands. Emerging multidrug-resistant lineages of epidemics of S. Typhimurium are currently causing bloodstream infections in sub-Saharan Africa. The versatility and adaptability of S. Typhimurium pose an important public health challenge.

Do International Oil Prices, Exchange Rates and Agricultural Credit Matter for Farmers’ Term of Trade in Indonesia? Empirical Evidence of Multiple Thresholds and Asymmetric Effects

Farmers still survive as a livelihood for some of the Indonesian population as the dominant economic sector shifts from agriculture to industry and services. This study investigates the influence of international prices of crude oil, fertilizer, and animal feed ingredients, as well as exchange rates, domestic inflation, agricultural credit, and food production indices on farmers' terms of trade (TOT). The study applies a Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag model with multiple thresholds. The data used are monthly data for the period January 2010 to October 2023. Through multiple thresholds, the negative impact of world oil prices is significant in the middle level of changes in oil prices on farmers' TOT. Fuel subsidies to farmer households allow the impact of significant changes in oil prices to dampen farmers' TOT. Depreciation of the rupiah exchange rate significantly reduces farmers' TOT. Conversely, appreciation significantly increases farmers' TOT. Domestic inflation has significantly pressured farmers' TOT in the short run, while agricultural credit significantly increased farmers' TOT. The food industry production index significantly encourages an increase in farmers' TOT. The subsidy programs, especially fuel and fertilizer subsidies directly to farmers, are the action to reduce the impact of rising prices of imported crude oil and fertilizer.

Patterns of biofilm formation by members of <i>Listeria</i>, <i>Salmonella</i>, and <i>Pseudomonas</i> at various temperatures and the role of their synergistic interactions in the formation of biofilm communities

Biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces in the food sector is a major public health concern. In fact, biofilms represent a constant source of pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella sp. The ability for the formation of multispecies biofilms by pathogens and spoilage microorganisms poses a serious danger in the production of safe products and is one of the reasons for the stable circulation of microorganisms in meat processing plants. During the work, 46 strains of microorganisms isolated from industrial environments and food products were tested for the ability to form biofilms at different temperatures. The analyzed pathogenic strains (Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella sp.) and spoilage microorganisms (Pseudomonas sp.) had adhesion to the abiotic surface with subsequent formation of a persistent biofilm. Low positive temperature was not a limiting factor in the ability to form biofilms. After 24 hours of incubation, representatives of bacteria of the genera Listeria and Salmonella sp. formed persistent biofilms at (4°C). The ability to form biofilms on various abiotic surfaces found in the meat industry (tiles, glass, plastic) has been demonstrated. The synergistic interaction of representatives of the genera Listeria, Salmonella and Pseudomonas during the formation of mixed biofilms at 4°C was studied. Combinations of a pathogen and a member of the genus Pseudomonas differed significantly in the intensity of biofilm formation compared to combinations of two pathogens. This indicates the importance of this species in synergistic interactions among microorganisms.

Valorization of Legume By-Products Based on Polyphenols and Protein Contents for Potential Nutraceutical Applications.

A significant amount of agri-food by-products is generated by large food industry production lines. Aligned with the principles of a circular economy, this project aims to recycle and valorize legumes, such as beans, green beans and soy by-products characterized by different heat treatments, maturation stages and cultivation methods. The valorization of food waste involved the development of an Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction (UAE) method to isolate polyphenols. Analytical techniques, including UHPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn, were used to identify polyphenols in legume, green bean and soy extracts obtained through UAE. Additionally, UV-Vis spectrophotometric assays measured the Total Phenolic Content (TPC) and Total Antioxidant Status (TAS), while the Kjeldahl method was employed to assess the protein content in each UAE extract. The analyses revealed a variety of valuable polyphenols in legume, green bean and soy by-products. For instance, bean by-products contain feruloyl glucaric acid derivatives, green beans by-products have different types of flavonols such as quercetin-3-O-glucuronide, and soy by-products are rich in isoflavones. These findings demonstrate the potential for formulating nutraceuticals from these by-products' extracts.

The Protein Engineering of Zearalenone Hydrolase Results in a Shift in the pH Optimum of the Relative Activity of the Enzyme.

An acidic shift in the pH profile of Clonostachys rosea zearalenone hydrolase (ZHD), the most effective and well-studied zearalenone-specific lactone hydrolase, is required to extend the range of applications for the enzyme as a decontamination agent in the feed and food production industries. Amino acid substitutions were engineered in the active center of the enzyme to decrease the pKa values of the catalytic residues E126 and H242. The T216K substitution provided a shift in the pH optimum by one unit to the acidic region, accompanied by a notable expansion in the pH profile under acidic conditions. The engineered enzyme demonstrated enhanced activity within the pH range of 3-5 and improved the activity within the pH ranging from 6 to 10. The D31N and D31A substitutions also resulted in a two-unit shift in the pH optimum towards acidic conditions, although this was accompanied by a significant reduction in the enzyme activity. The D31S substitution resulted in a shift in the pH profile towards the alkaline region. The alterations in the enzyme properties observed following the T216K substitution were consistent with the conditions required for the ZHD application as decontamination enzymes at acidic pH values (from 3.0 to 6.0).

A review on methods for the production of microcapsules and their application in drug and food technology.

Microencapsulation is a technology for encapsulating particles in a coating designed to isolate the core substance from external conditions, including oxidation, UV radiation or humidity. Microcapsules reach dimensions of up to 5,000 μm. In the pharmaceutical industry, they are used for the controlled release of active substances, masking their taste, odor or gastrointestinal irritation, and can also reduce the toxicity of some medicinal substances. In the food production industry, the encapsulation process applies to sweeteners, enzymes, microorganisms, vitamins and minerals, flavors, or colors. The production of microcapsules is based on the use of their physical properties such as amphiphilicity, partition coefficient and melting point, while their formation of microcapsules is mainly carried out using physical methods such as coacervation, spray drying, cooling and coating, agglomeration, suspension crosslinking, solvent evaporation, and extrusion, as well as chemical methods: interfacial polymerization and in situ polymerization. Although traditional methods are still used to produce microcapsules, contemporary methods employing the latest technology are also emerging. One such method is encapsulation in microcylinders produced with a 3D printer.

Systematic review of artificial intelligence with near-infrared in blueberries

The fruit quality has a direct impact on how the fruit looks and how tasty the fruit is. The correct use of tools to determine fruit quality is essential to offer the best product for the final consumer. This study has used the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) methodology. The study objective was elaborate a systematic literature review (SLR) about research of the application of techniques based on artificial intelligence to analyze indicators obtained by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and chemometrics to determine the quality of fruits, including blueberries. The most frequently addressed indicator is the soluble solids concentration (SSC) which was used in several studies with techniques such as support vector machines (SVM) and convolutional neural networks (CNN). According to the results obtained, it is possible to use these techniques to predict blueberry quality indicators. There was an acceptable performance and high accuracy of these models. However, future research could cover other techniques and help to provide better quality control of products in food industries.

Gap Analysis of Good Manufacturing Practices for The Household Industry (CPPB-IRT) Implementation at MN Sambal MSMEs, Bogor

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the food sector play a crucial role in supporting food security and local economic growth. A common challenge faced by these businesses is the lack of implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices for Household Industry (CPPB-IRT) that This hinders their ability to obtain the SPP-IRT (Household Industry Food Production Certificate), which is essential for ensuring food safety and quality. MN Sambal, an MSME producing chili sauce as a food product susceptible to spoilage and poses a significant risk to consumers if not handled properly. To assess MN Sambal's compliance with CPPB-IRT standards, research data was collected through observation, interviews, checklists, and literature review. The gap analysis based on BPOM regulation No. HK.03.1.23.04.12.2206 2012 revealed that MN Sambal achieved a high level of compliance are 83.8% conformity aspect and 16.2% non-conformity aspect. These non-conformities were identified in six aspects: Hygiene and Sanitation Facilities and Activities, Process Control, Food Labelling, Supervision by Responsible Parties, and Employee Training. Based on these nonconformities, it is recommended that MN Sambal undertake corrective actions to enhance CPPB-IRT implementation and increase its chances of obtaining the SPP-IRT certification, which will ultimately lead to increased product value and market expansion.

The polysaccharides from blackened jujube with ultrasonic assistance extraction: Optimization of extraction conditions, antioxidant activity and structural analysis

Jujube is a widely grown agricultural product. In order to avoid the waste of resources and improve the added value of the blackened jujube, the blackened jujube was processed under certain temperature and humidity conditions. At present, there are relatively few researches on polysaccharides of blackened jujube. The selection of extraction method is very important for the study and utilization of plant polysaccharides. Ultrasonic assisted extraction technology has been widely used in polysaccharide extraction for its advantages of environmental protection, economy and high extraction rate. In order to fully tap the utilization potential of polysaccharides from blackened jujube, the ultrasonic assisted extraction technology of polysaccharides from blackened jujube was optimized. Based on the optimal conditions obtained by response surface analysis, the extraction rate of polysaccharide was as high as 12.75 ± 0.05%. The IC50 values of hydroxyl radical, DPPH radical and superoxide anion were 2.604 mg/mL, 0.754 mg/mL and 8.069 mg/mL, respectively. The blackened jujube polysaccharide (BJP) was mainly composed of rhamnose (Rha), arabinose (Ara), galactose (Gal) and galacturonic acid (Gal-UA), with a molecular weight of 1.42 × 106 Da, and the surface was a dense network structure with voids. The results showed that ultrasound-assisted extraction could extract polysaccharides more economically and efficiently. In this study, the polysaccharide extracted from blackened jujube has natural antioxidant effect, which may be related to the high content of galacturonic acid in polysaccharide and the molecular chain structure of polysaccharide can be destroyed by ultrasonic wave. As a kind of natural antioxidant, blackened jujube polysaccharide has important application value in functional products in food and medicine industries.

Strategy for Optimizing Vitamin B12 Production in Pseudomonas putida KT2440 Using Metabolic Modeling.

Background/Objectives: Vitamin B12 is very important for human health, as it is a cofactor for enzymatic activities and plays various roles in human physiology. It is highly valued in the pharmaceutical, food, and additive production industries. Some of the bacteria currently used for the vitamin production are difficult to modify with gene-editing tools and may have slow growth. We propose the use of the bacteria Pseudomonas putida KT2440 for the production of vitamin B12 because it has a robust chassis for genetic modifications. The present wok evaluates P. putida KT2440 as a host for vitamin B12 production and explore potential gene-editing optimization strategies. Methods: We curated and modified a genome-scale metabolic model of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 and evaluated different strategies to optimize vitamin B12 production using the knockin and OptGene algorithms from the COBRA Toolbox. Furthermore, we examined the presence of riboswitches as cis-regulatory elements and calculated theoretical biomass growth yields and vitamin B12 production using a flux balance analysis (FBA). Results: According to the flux balance analysis of P. putida KT2440 under culture conditions, the biomass production values could reach 1.802 gDW-1·h1·L-1, and vitamin B12 production could reach 0.359 µmol·gDW-1·h-1·L-1. The theoretical vitamin B12 synthesis rate calculated using P. putida KT2040 with two additional reactions was 14 times higher than that calculated using the control, Pseudomonas denitrificans, which has been used for the industrial production of this vitamin. Conclusions: We propose that, with the addition of aminopropanol linker genes and the modification of riboswitches, P. putida KT2440 may become a suitable host for the industrial production of vitamin B12.

Industrial Production of Functional Foods for Human Health and Sustainability.

Functional foods significantly affect social stability, human health, and food security. Plants and microorganisms are high-quality chassis for the bioactive ingredients in functional foods. Characterised by precise nutrition and the provision of both nutritive and medicinal value, functional foods serve a as key extension of functional agriculture and offer assurance of food availability for future space exploration efforts. This review summarises the main bioactive ingredients in functional foods and their functions, describes the strategies used for the nutritional fortification and industrial production of functional foods, and provides insights into the challenges and future developments in the applications of plants and microorganisms in functional foods. Our review aims to provide a theoretical basis for the development of functional foods, ensure the successful production of new products, and support the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, including no poverty, zero hunger, and good health and well-being.

A yeast surface display platform for screening of non-enzymatic protein secretion in Kluyveromyces lactis.

Enhancing the secretion of recombinant proteins, particularly non-enzymatic proteins that predominate in food and pharmaceutic protein products, remains a significant challenge due to limitations in high-throughput screening methods. This study addresses this bottleneck by establishing a yeast surface display system in the food-grade microorganism Kluyveromyces lactis, enabling efficient display of model target proteins on the yeast cell surface. To assess its potential as a universal high-throughput screening tool for enhanced non-enzymatic protein secretion, we evaluated the consistency between protein display levels and secretion efficiency under the influence of various genetic factors. Our results revealed a strong correlation between these two properties. Furthermore, screening in a random mutagenesis library successfully identified a mutant with improved secretion. These findings demonstrate the potential of the K. lactis surface display system as a powerful and universal tool for high-throughput screening of strains with superior non-enzymatic protein secretion capacity. We believe this study could pave the way for efficient large-scale production of heterologous food and therapeutic proteins in industries. KEY POINTS: • A YSD (yeast surface display) system was established in Kluyveromyces lactis • This system enables high-throughput screening of non-enzymatic protein secretion • This technology assists industrial production of food and therapeutic proteins.