Next-Generation Food Biotechnology: From RNAi Crops to Microalgae and Circular Bioeconomy Models

Biotechnology has emerged as one of the primary enablers of sustainable food and feed systems, addressing global challenges such as hunger, malnutrition, climate change, food safety, and environmental degradation.Advances across diverse domains-RNA-mediated gene regulation in crops, probiotic and fungal platforms, phytochemical-based nutrition, microalgal polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) production, transgenic antifungal proteins, and food waste valorization-illustrate how molecular biology and fermentation technologies translate into tangible benefits for health, agriculture, and industry.RNA interference (RNAi)-based crops demonstrate clear safety equivalence with conventional plants under comparative assessment paradigms.Lactobacillus species and fungal enzymes support fermentation, probiotics, and cell-factory development.Phytoactive molecules such as isoflavones create opportunities for functional foods, while antifungal proteins like Mo-CBP3 strengthen transgenic crop protection.Microalgae such as Nannochloropsislimnetica provide sustainable EPA-rich oil alternatives to fisheries.At the same time, fruit and vegetable waste valorization into fuels and nutraceuticals demonstrates the bioeconomy potential of circular bioprocesses.However, consumer skepticism, fragmented regulations, and allergenicity concerns remain barriers.This review presents a comprehensive survey of modern biotechnology applied to food systems, highlighting molecular principles, applied outcomes, and regulatory contexts to advance scientific, industrial, and political discussions around sustainable food futures