From ultra-processed to biointelligent foods: The role of food biotechnology in the transition toward functional and health-oriented nutrition.
BACKGROUND The global rise in the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has been consistently linked to gut dysbiosis and low-grade systemic inflammation, and has been associated with the increasing prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases and global mortality. These findings highlight critical limitations of current food systems and underscore the need for innovative nutritional paradigms aimed at supporting metabolic and intestinal homeostasis. SCOPE AND APPROACH This review critically examines advances in food biotechnology as a promising framework to counteract UPF-induced dysfunctions and reorient modern nutrition toward functional, preventive, and precision-based strategies. The analysis integrates evidence on microbial fermentation, enzymatic biotransformation, next-generation probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics, as well as recent developments in multi-omics technologies, metabolic engineering, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence-assisted nutritional design. KEY FINDINGS Biotechnological strategies may enhance nutrient bioavailability, modulate intestinal ecology, and optimize the production of bioactive compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metabolically regulatory properties. These compounds, generated or released through rationally designed bioprocesses, constitute the functional basis of the proposed biointelligent food framework, in which food matrices are intentionally engineered to interact with defined biological targets through biologically directed functionality supported by mechanistic and physiological evidence. Emerging approaches, including precision fermentation, microbiota-centered interventions, nutritional digital twins, and the Mediterranean Diet 2.0, integrate traditional dietary patterns with advanced bioprocessing to support microbiota-host interactions and metabolic resilience. CONCLUSIONS The convergence of food biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and nanotechnology may support a shift toward preventive, predictive, and sustainable nutrition. The proposed biointelligent food framework provides a rational pathway for transitioning from UPF-based dietary models toward biologically targeted nutrition strategies with the potential to modulate inflammation, support metabolic balance, and support precision and personalized health interventions.