Introduction: Food metaengineering is focused on obtaining transferable, engineering-interpretable results that link composition, structure, and process parameters to the functional properties of a product. However, achieving transferability of results is limited not so much by a lack of methods as by the heterogeneity of data representation, insufficient metadata in articles, and incomplete protocol descriptions, which reduces reproducibility and hinders the reuse of results.

Purpose: To present an editorial position on the role of data standards and reproducibility practices in food metaengineering and to propose a minimal set of requirements for manuscripts that ensure verifiability, comparability, and industrial applicability of research results.

Rationale: The annotation argument draws on interdisciplinary frameworks of reproducibility and replication, the FAIR principles, practices of minimal information standards in related research fields, as well as publisher policies regarding data, materials, code, and protocol availability.

Main Provisions: (1) Publication in the metaengineering paradigm should be regarded as a reproducible package of evidence rather than a descriptive report. (2) FAIR should be interpreted as criteria for the suitability of data and associated digital artifacts for reuse, including machine interoperability and traceability of provenance. (3) For key subdomains of food research, institutionalization of “minimal information” about raw materials, processes, sample preparation, and analytics is required. (4) Computational reproducibility (code, parameters, environment versions) becomes mandatory wherever conclusions depend on digital processing. (5) Standardized citation of food data enhances traceability and quality of secondary use.

Conclusion: A minimal editorial standard is proposed, including a mandatory data availability statement, provision of protocols and structured metadata, publication of computational artifacts when a computational component is present, correct identification and citation of food datasets, and explicit description of access restrictions. The expected effect is an increase in the comparability of studies, a reduction in transactional costs of reuse, and a strengthening of the “laboratory–production” linkage for research results in the field of food metaengineering.

Introduction: The continuity of the cold chain during transportation and storage of perishable food products largely depends on the effectiveness of auxiliary thermal protection means, including thermal covers for pallets. Inadequate thermal insulation can lead to temperature deviations, accelerated product spoilage, and economic losses.

Purpose: To evaluate and compare the thermal insulation properties of commercial samples of three-layer thermal covers designed for pallets with food products, under simulated typical loading and unloading conditions.

Materials and Methods: The studies were carried out in a thermally insulated chamber. Real food products (Olivier salad) and simulators with equivalent thermophysical properties were used as model cargo. Heat flux density was measured using the ITP-MG4.03 «Potok» heat flux meter, and the heat transfer coefficient was calculated according to a standard methodology. Product temperature was recorded continuously over a period of 12 hours.

Results: A direct correlation was established between the heat transfer coefficient (k) of thermal covers and the time required for perishable food products to reach the critical temperature of 7,0 °C. The best thermal insulation performance was demonstrated by the cover with k = 0,63 W/(m²·K), which maintained a safe product temperature for 58 minutes. The poorest performance was observed for the cover with k = 1,09 W/(m²·K), under which the product temperature reached 7,0 °C in just 28 minutes.

Conclusion: The heat transfer coefficient is a reliable indicator of thermal cover effectiveness during short-term cold chain disruptions. The obtained data enable objective evaluation of thermal protection materials and support informed selection of solutions aimed at reducing losses and enhancing cold chain resilience.

Introduction: Despite a significant amount of research devoted to microbial composition of kefir, our understanding of microbial community dynamics during fermentation remains fragmented. Most studies rely on 16S rRNA sequencing or traditional culture methods, which have limited resolution.

Purpose: To evaluate the dynamics of the microbial community composition of a fermented milk drink prepared using kefir grains throughout the entire technological process — from the activation stage of kefir grains to the formation of a product with an expired shelf life, using whole-genome metagenomic sequencing.

Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at the Laboratory of Applied Microbiology and Microbial Genomics, All-Russian Dairy Research Institute (VNIMI). The study objects were lyophilized kefir grains and kefir prepared from them, sampled at different stages of the fermentation process and subsequent storage. The objects of the study were lyophilized kefir grains and kefir prepared from them. Sampling was carried out at the following sequential stages: 0 h — lyophilized grains, 48 ​​h — metabolically active grains, 120 h — kefir starter culture, 122 h — addition of 5% starter culture to milk, 130 h — end of kefir fermentation at +20 °C, 138 h — finished kefir after maturation at +4 °C, and storage at +4 °C for 7, 14, and 21 days (n=10). Total DNA was isolated from each sample, which was used to prepare libraries and perform whole-genome metagenomic sequencing on the GeneMind FASTASeq300 platform in paired-end reading mode (2×150 bp) with a sequencing depth of at least 5 million reads per time point, followed by read filtering and bioinformatics analysis of the taxonomic structure of the microbial community with identification of microorganisms to the species level using Kraken2 and the PlusPF reference database, followed by reclassification and assessment of species representation using Bracken.

Results: Metagenomic analysis of the sequential stages of kefir grain activation, fermentation, and kefir storage revealed that microorganisms from the fungi sequentially colonize the liquid phase, where an ordered succession was observed: ~80% of the kefir grain microbial community was represented by Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens, while the dominant species in the starter culture and kefir were L. cremoris, L. helveticus, and L. lactis. The yeast component was represented by a single species, Kluyveromyces marxianus, whose maximum relative abundance did not exceed ~1.3% at all stages studied.

Conclusion: The dynamics of changes in the microbial composition of a fermented milk drink prepared using kefir grains were analyzed at different stages of fermentation and storage. The data obtained emphasizes the need for further research into the dynamics of the microbiome in kefir production to better understand its impact on the quality and stability of the final product. The results of the study may contribute to the development of more effective methods for managing the microbial community composition in fermented milk drinks, creating standardized starter cultures, and predicting the stability of fermented dairy product quality.

Background: Cocoa tree seeds (cocoa beans) represent a high-value agricultural commodity with multiple end uses. Compliance with contractual quality specifications and with national and interstate standards underpins their commercial value. At present, cocoa-bean quality assessment remains a complex and labour-intensive procedure performed largely by manual inspection. Moreover, the standard grading approach is destructive, leading to disposal of the tested sample and, consequently, loss of valuable raw material.

Purpose: To develop a rapid, informative method for cocoa-bean quality control based on microfocus radiography.

Materials and Methods: X-ray images of cocoa beans were obtained using a multifunctional mobile X-ray system of the PRDU family and a portable X-ray unit. Microfocus imaging parameters were: tube voltage 20 kV, tube current 80 μA, exposure time 2 s. The study examined five cocoa varieties (Criollo, Forastero, Trinitario, Nacional, and Sambirano) originating from Colombia, Venezuela, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Honduras, the Philippines, Peru, Ecuador, and Madagascar (2023 harvest). Radiographic projections were visually compared with visible-light images (reference) of longitudinally cut beans prepared from the same samples in accordance with GOST ISO 1114-2014 (Cocoa beans. Cut test).

Results: The study reports radiographic evaluations of cocoa-bean consignments imported into the Russian Federation from multiple countries. Optimal exposure regimes were established for both the portable device and the laboratory-based system. A relationship was identified between the radiographic appearance of an individual cocoa bean and its quality attributes. Morphological features and defects visualised on radiographs showed a high degree of correspondence with the visible-light images of the respective longitudinal sections. In addition, defect identification based on radiographic image matrices demonstrated a high level of agreement between the portable and stationary imaging platforms.

Conclusion: Matrices of visual characteristics of cocoa beans were compiled by origin and defect type; microfocus radiographs and corresponding visible-light photographs were obtained for comparative assessment; and radiographs acquired with a laboratory X-ray system and a portable unit were systematically compared. The findings provide a methodological basis for developing specialised hardware and software tools to enable automated quality control of commercial cocoa-bean batches intended for industrial processing.

Introduction: Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is one of the principal grain legume crops in global agriculture and a strategic raw material for the food and feed industries due to its high protein and oil contents. However, a methodologically important gap remains in clarifying how cultivar characteristics, in combination with growing conditions in zones of unstable moisture supply, affect yield formation, protein and oil accumulation, and the expression of antinutritional factors, particularly trypsin inhibitor activity.

Purpose: To assess yield, biochemical composition, and technological grain traits of soybean cultivars from different maturity groups grown in southern Russia, and to identify genotypes that ensure stable productivity and grain quality under adverse climatic conditions.

Materials and Methods: Field trials were conducted in 2017–2019 at the experimental station of Stavropol State Agrarian University. The cultivars Lira (standard), Bara, Parus, Kora, Vilana, and Zara were evaluated. Protein and oil contents were determined according to current GOST standards (GOST 10846-91; GOST ISO 11085-2016), and trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA) according to GOST 33427-2015. Measurements were performed by near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy using an MA-TRIX-I spectrometer, with spectra recorded over 3500–12500 cm⁻¹ at a resolution of 16 cm⁻¹ using OPUS software. Technological traits included test weight and 1000-seed weight (GOST 12042-80).

Results: The highest yield under unstable moisture conditions was obtained for the mid-season cultivar Zara (2.22 t/ha), exceeding the standard (Lira) by 0.39 t/ha. The early-maturing cultivar Kora showed the greatest ecological plasticity (bi = 1.51) and the highest combined protein and oil content (62.2%). The lowest trypsin inhibitor activity was recorded for Parus (19.8 mg/g). Overall, grain quality parameters of the studied cultivars met the requirements for soybean raw material used in food and feed applications.

Conclusion: The findings confirm pronounced cultivar-specific differences in soybean productivity and grain quality and support evidence-based cultivar selection for zones of unstable moisture supply: Zara as a high-yielding genotype, Kora as a highly plastic genotype with superior protein–oil traits, and Parus as a promising cultivar with reduced TIA. The results may inform breeding and technological support of soybean production for the food and processing industries.