Exploring recent trends and innovations in food systems with implications for social, economic, and environmental aspects of food sustainability (review)

The growing awareness of the impact of dietary choices on health and the environment has led to an increasing demand for food systems that prioritize nutritional quality, food safety, economic sustainability, and environmental responsibility. This review examines recent innovations and technologies that contribute to developing sustainable food systems (SFS), focusing on their social, economic, and environmental implications. Key areas explored include minimally processed foods, plant-based alternatives, functional foods, and other alternative food sources such as edible insects and single-cell proteins; these innovations can transform food production and consumption patterns. Furthermore, the review discusses strategies for waste valorisation, including biorefinery processes and green extraction methods for bioactive compounds, aimed at reducing food waste while enhancing resource efficiency and sustainability. While existing literature addresses these innovations in isolation or from a single perspective, few reviews provide an integrated assessment that considers all three pillars of sustainability, i.e., environmental, social, and economic. This review aims to address that gap. This review also discusses various challenges, including consumer acceptance, regulatory complexity, cost barriers, and opportunities for market expansion and technological advancement. By synthesizing emerging research on diverse innovations, this review outlines essential directions for advancing sustainable food systems that enhance food security, ecological resilience, and global health.