The first edition of Minimally Processed and Refrigerated Fruits and Vegetables, edited by Robert C. Wiley and Fatih Yildiz, was published in 1994. At the time of publication, this was a new concept and was well-received by the scientific community. Minimally processed foods are whole plant tissues (the identity of the plant tissue is recognized by consumers), which may contain active enzymes, live tissues, and plant cells. These are some of the basics for the healthy food design. The overall function of these foods is to provide convenient (ready-to-serve, ready-to cook, free of any pesticides and contaminants),like-fresh products for food service and retail consumers. Minimally Processed and Refrigerated Foods (MPR) have been popular in many countries. The following are some of the advantages offered by MPR produce foods: 1. Ease of portion control in the food service industry 2. Lower transportation cost (all inedible portions of the produce are removed prior to transportation) 3. No waste is generated at the point of consumption 4. Utilization and recycling of the waste is much easier 5. Value-added new fruit and vegetable products and meal development is possible and easy 6. No requirement is needed for phytosanitary control during trade 7-No glycation end products formation during processing, 8.Degree of food processing is minimized for optimal health of human, the processing plant for MPR produce, which is not addressed in any other books on this topic, will be described in this second edition. Also, comparison of minimal processing technologies with other technologies was explained in the first publication and will be updated in this second edition. During the last 200 years the purpose of food processing was a-safety(sterilization, Pasteurization,1804 Nicholas Apert,Pasteur 1867), and b-prevention of deficiency diseases(Enrichments),but MPR foods provides a two new dimensions to food processing ; a-Prevention of chronic diseases(bioactive compounds) and b-Optimum health (functional foods,Superfoods,Neutraceuticals, and Medical foods) for human.

In the last 50 years, combinations of conventional and molecular methods have made the genetic diversity a widespread science. Moreover, the issue of conserving genetic diversity as a component of the conservation of the environment has been raised at an international level. We hope that the current book will provide a glimpse into the dynamic process of genetic diversity by presenting the research of some of the scientists who are engaged in development of new tools and ideas in genetic diversity. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all authors who contributed to this book by sharing their valuable works with us.

We are no longer able to provide the world population with a healthy diet and, at the same time, sustainably balance our planetary resources to ensure resilient and viable livelihoods for smallholder farmers. For the past fifty years, diets have become less nutritionally balanced, contribute significantly to climate change, and have accelerated the process of biodiversity erosion. We have reduced the number of species that are cultivated for food, and for each species, we are growing fewer varieties. While agriculture has moved towards uniformity, biodiversity is the basis of healthy and nutritious diets, and biodiversity is paramount for adapting crops to climate change. Hence, it is important to build resilient and sustainable food systems by re-introducing diversity into our agricultural systems and introducing “Smart Food” from smart crops into our diets. Smart Food is food that fulfills the criteria for being good for you (nutritious and healthy), good for the planet (environmentally sustainable); and beneficial to the farmers who grow these crops (resilient and viable). The aim of this Research Topic is to provide researchers, research managers, funding agencies, and government agencies with scientifically backed information to foster awareness, increased use, and support for research into Smart Food.

In recent decades, practices like the cultivation of a few high-yielding crop varieties on a large scale, the application of heavy machinery and continued mechanization of agriculture, the removal of natural habitats, and the application of pesticides and synthetics have resulted in the simplification of agro-ecosystems. This has enabled a substantial increase in food production but has at the same time transformed landscapes. Indeed, there is a concern that a decline in biodiversity has affected microbiome activities that support processes across soils, plants, animals, the marine environment, and humans. Although they have increased food production, the above practices cannot be considered sustainable in long-term applications. Biodiversity, Functional Ecosystems, and Sustainable Food Production explore ecosystems in terms of crop and animal production, pest and disease control, nutrient cycling, and soil fertility. Chapters range from agro-biodiversity to antimicrobial use in animal food production to microbiome applications for sustainable food systems and the impacts of environment-friendly unit operations on the functional properties of bee pollen. By examining such topics about each other, the text emphasizes how food production, ecosystem function, food quality, and consumer health are all interconnected.