The global demand for animal protein presents significant challenges in the production of nutritionally rich foods, such as milk and meat. Traditionally, the quality of these products is assessed using physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory methods. Although effective, these techniques are constrained by time limiting their widespread application. Furthermore, growing concerns regarding sustainability, animal welfare, and transparency have driven the development of technologies to enhance the rapid and precise assessment of food quality. In this context, omics technologies have transformed the characterization of animal-origin food by providing in-depth molecular understanding of their composition and quality. These tools enable the identification of biomarkers, adulteration detection, optimization of nutritional profiles, and enhancement of authentication and traceability, facilitating the development of functional foods. Despite their potential, several barriers persist, including high implementation cost, the need for specialized infrastructure, and the complexity of integrating multi-omics data. The main aim of this review was to provide information on advances in the application of omics technologies in dairy and meat production systems and studies that use them in food quality, authentication, and sustainability. It also outlines opportunities in areas such as fraud prevention and functional product development to support the transition to safer, healthier, and more transparent food systems.

Zea mays var. amylacea and Zea mays var. indurata are maize ecotypes from Paraguay. Aspergillus section Flavi is the main spoilage fungus of maize under storage conditions. Due to its large intraspecific genetic variability, the accurate identification of this fungal taxonomic group is difficult. In the present study, potential mycotoxigenic strains of Aspergillus section Flavi isolated from Z. mays var. indurata and Z. mays var. amylacea that are marketed in the metropolitan region of Asunción were identified by a polyphasic approach. Based on morphological characters, 211 isolates were confirmed to belong to Aspergillus section Flavi. A subset of 92 strains was identified as Aspergillus flavus by mass spectrometry MALDI-TOF and the strains were classified by MALDI-TOF MS into chemotypes based on their aflatoxins and cyclopiazonic acid production. According to the partial sequencing of ITS and CaM genes, a representative subset of 38 A. flavus strains was confirmed. Overall, 75 A. flavus strains (86%) were characterized as producers of aflatoxins. The co-occurrence of at least two mycotoxins (AF/ZEA, FUM/ZEA, and AF/ZEA/FUM) was detected for five of the Z. mays samples (63%). Considering the high mycological bioburden and mycotoxin contamination, maize marketed in the metropolitan region of Asunción constitutes a potential risk to food safety and public health and requires control measures.

Disseminated fusariosis is treated with amphotericin B and voriconazole. To determine adequate therapy, the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) is used. However, MIC analysis is based on visual observation and requires a long period of fungal incubation. The measure of the minimal profile change concentration (MPCC) using MALDI-TOF MS is a quick spectral method that has presented good results in determining the antimicrobial resistance of yeasts. However, there is a lack of information on filamentous fungi. In the present work, 13 Fusarium spp. clinical isolates and two reference strains were used. MIC was obtained according to the M38-A2 protocol of the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute, while MPPC was obtained following the initial steps of the M38-A2 protocol. Both Biotyper and the Rstudio environment were used to analyze mass spectra. For some fungal strains, the data obtained from the software MALDI Biotyper Compass 4.1 led to fuzzy heatmaps resulting in difficult interpretation, while heatmaps obtained using Rstudio tools generated better MPCC resolutions. Herein, 86.6% of the AMB MPCC values were highly correlated with the gold-standard AMB MIC. MALDI-TOF MS is a prominent tool used to determine MPCCs quicker, cost-effectively, and more accurately for Fusarium spp. strains. However, better statistical analyses could help measure the technique’s limit detection.

Scorpion venoms consist of proteins, peptides, and various low molecular weight (LMW) organic compounds, which act as toxins. Despite their potential significance, these compounds in scorpion venoms have been little investigated and their full range has not been well characterized. In this work, a targeted metabolomic approach was used in combination with an HPLC-QTOF-MS methodology to create a library of 55 LMW standard compounds, for the analysis of venoms from three Tityus species scorpions. This strategy enabled reliable identification of 45 compounds, including 20 amino acids, 4 organic acids, 12 biogenic amines, 6 nitrogenated bases and derivatives, 2 β-carboline-derived alkaloids, and 1 amphetamine. Most of the compounds identified were neurotransmitters and/or neurotoxins, while others can act as homeostasis disruptors or affect the diffusion of venom through the bodies of victims. Therefore, the LMW organic compounds in scorpion venoms play roles in the killing or paralyzing of prey, as well as in defense against large predators.