Abstract
Cheese, a fundamental component of the human diet and a cornerstone of the global food economy, holds significance beyond its role as a market commodity, playing a crucial part in the cultural identity of various social communities. The intricate natural aging process, known as maturation, involves a series of reactions that induce changes in physical, biochemical, microbiological, and particularly sensory characteristics, making it a complex aspect of cheese production. Recently, the adoption of omics sciences (e.g., metagenomics, metabolomics, proteomics) in PDO cheese studies has emerged as a new trend. This mini-summary aims to outline the relationship between omics studies in these food matrices and all the sustainability facets of the production chain in general, as well as discuss and recognize that the importance of these studies goes beyond comprehending the cheesebiome; it extends to fostering and ensuring the sustainability of the production chain. In this context, numerous studies in recent years have linked the identification of intrinsic characteristics of PDO cheeses through omics sciences to crucial sustainability themes such as territoriality, biodiversity, and the preservation of product authenticity. The trajectory suggests that increasingly multidisciplinary studies, spanning various omics sciences, will not only contribute to characterizing these products but also address sustainability aspects directly related to the production chain (e.g., authenticity, microbial biodiversity, functionality). This expansion underscores the multidisciplinary nature of these studies, broadening their social impact beyond the academic realm. Consequently, these pivotal studies play a crucial role in advancing discussions on PDO products and sustainability.