Fermentation, one of the oldest biotransformation processes, has become a key element of contemporary sustainable biotechnology. In modern food systems, it enables the simultaneous resolution of environmental, nutritional, and economic challenges by converting agricultural and food residues into high-value-added products, such as bioactive compounds, organic acids, biofuels, enzymes, and proteins. Consistent with the concept of a circular bioeconomy, fermentation supports resource recycling, waste minimization, and greenhouse gas reduction, contributing to the achievement of selected United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The importance of fermentation extends beyond its environmental aspects—fermented foods and postbiotics support the modulation of the gut microbiome, strengthen immunity, and can act as a preventative measure against metabolic and inflammatory conditions. Simultaneously, the dynamic development of precision fermentation and synthetic biology enables the design of microorganisms that produce specific food ingredients without the use of animals or traditional agriculture, paving the way for more responsible production and consumption. This review presents the categories of organic residues valorized through fermentation, explains their role in circular food and healthcare systems, and identifies key technological and regulatory barriers limiting the scaling of this approach. Collectively, fermentation emerges as a biotechnology platform with significant transformative potential for future sustainable food systems.

Summary statement: This study emphasises the significance of early flowering lines in chickpea ( Cicer arietinum ) in mitigating heat stress. It also highlights important genes involved in key pathways linked to heat stress tolerance and identifies a promising NIL for future breeding programs.

This work sheds lights on the complex gene regulatory networks underlying heat stress response and tolerance in chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.) using a transcriptomic approach integrated with key phenotypic traits. Two pairs of Near Isogenic Lines (NILs) derived from a cross between early- (E) and late-flowering (L) genotypes (224E, 224L, 309E and 309L) and a reference cultivar ICC 4958 were subjected to high temperature (38/28 ^o C (day/night) for 4 days during the pod set) during the seed-filling stage, Heat stress impacted seed yield, revealing significant differences between early and late flowering lines primarily by reducing seed number due to fertilization failure. The ICC 4958 and 224L genotypes were more severely affected than the 309E and L and 224E lines. The differential gene expression profiles highlighted genotype-specific responses to heat stress, with both the 309 lines exhibiting greater heat tolerance and fewer differentially expressed genes compared to 224E, 224L and ICC 4958, indicating their higher resilience to heat stress. Key responses included significant changes in photosynthesis-related genes, alterations in primary and secondary metabolism, and modulation of phytohormone pathways, which collectively contribute to the 309 lines’ ability to cope with and recover from heat stress. The efficient recovery mechanisms observed in early flowering lines, such as rapid re-establishment of photosynthetic functions and effective nutrient redistribution, underline their potential for maintaining yield under heat stress conditions.

We previously reported that ANF dose‐dependently reduces secretin secretory response and intracellular signaling in the exocrine pancreas through NPR‐C receptors coupled to the PLC/PKC pathway. In this study we evaluated if cAMP efflux contributed to ANF response in isolated pancreatic acini. Results showed that ANF favored the efflux of cAMP formed by secretin. The export of cAMP was also observed with secretin alone but not with isoproterenol or amthamine. Evoked‐cAMP efflux was blocked by probenecid, suggesting that multidrug resistant proteins (MRPs) were involved. RT‐PCR analysis revealed that MRP‐4 but not MRP‐5 (transport cyclic nucleotides) was expressed in the pancreas. Time course studies in the presence of phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity showed that tissue cAMP increased peaking at 3 min onset secretin stimulation and declining thereafter. With ANF, secretin‐induced cAMP augmented reaching a peak at 1 min after which it rapidly decreased. Extracellular cAMP accumulation occurred earlier and persisted throughout the experiment whereas with secretin alone it was delayed. Similar findings were observed in studies with PDE inhibition, except that cAMP content was higher and its appearance delayed in tissues and the media. Present findings suggest that cAMP export is likely mediated by MRP‐4 and further it may contribute to ANF‐induced desensitization of secretin response in the exocrine pancreas. (CONICET PIP5929/ UBACYT B079)