Metal–Organic Frameworks in Food Biotechnology: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Perspectives for Probiotic Delivery, Precision Fermentation, and Circular Food Systems

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as a versatile class of porous nanomaterials with exceptional surface area, tunable pore architectures, and customizable chemical functionalities, creating new opportunities for advanced food applications. Increasing demand for functional foods, precision fermentation, and sustainable bioprocessing has stimulated interest in MOFs as multifunctional platforms for microbial encapsulation, biocatalyst stabilization, and resource recovery. This review examines recent advances in the design and application of MOFs for probiotic delivery, precision fermentation, and circular food systems. The relationships between MOF structure, physicochemical properties, and functional performance are discussed in the context of probiotic encapsulation, protection against environmental and gastrointestinal stress, and controlled release within the intestinal tract. Emerging applications in precision fermentation are evaluated, including microbial immobilization, enzyme stabilization, metabolite separation, and bioprocess intensification. The potential of MOFs to enable circular food systems through the valorization of fermentation by-products, nutrient recovery, and waste-to-value strategies is also assessed. Despite significant progress, challenges related to biocompatibility, food-grade synthesis, scalability, regulatory approval, and long-term safety continue to limit industrial implementation. Future research directions include the development of sustainable and biodegradable MOFs, data-driven material design, and standardized evaluation frameworks to accelerate the translation of MOF-enabled technologies from laboratory research to commercial food applications.