Decoding Microbial Cross-Feeding and Competition: The Microbiome Frontier in Flavor, Safety, and Sustainable Food Production

Fermented foods and drinks embody complex microbial ecosystems where diverse groups of lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and acetic acid bacteria conduct intricate biochemical transformations that determine product quality, safety, and health advantages.This review consolidates findings from a wide range of studies on water kefir, milk kefir, sourdough, wine, cocoa, bread, and cheese fermentation, emphasizing key microbiota, spatial organization, and the dynamic interactions of cooperation and competition that support community assembly and functionality.Progress in molecular and multi-omics techniques has enhanced our understanding of microbial diversity, metabolic networks, and succession processes, while mechanistic investigations clarify essential nutrient cross-feeding, antagonistic interactions, and metabolite-driven sensory modulation.Industrial applications are increasingly utilizing defined starter cultures, synthetic consortia, and fermentation control methods to enhance reproducibility, flavor complexity, and product safety, including bio-preservation and mycotoxin reduction.New trends are concentrating on spatially structured synthetic communities, adaptation to new substrates, and sustainable manufacturing practices.The integrative ecological, biochemical, and technological insights provided here reveal pathways toward precision fermentation for creating nextgeneration fermented foods that meet consumer expectations for natural, functional, and safe products.