Editorial on the Research Topic Microbial Biotechnology Providing Bio-based Components for the Food Industry This Frontiers Research Topic provides an inter-and multidisciplinary platform for reviews and researches dedicated to microbial biotechnology providing bio-based components for the food industry. The findings presented in this special issue give a foundation for enlarging the current exploitation of the metabolic diversity in fungi, yeasts, bacteria, and microalgae for improved production of food and other industrial products. Thus, this topic did appeal not just to those interested in the screening and metabolic investigation of microorganisms but also to the industrial biotechnology, the process optimization, the fermentation technology, and the bio-products research community. Ingredients derived from microbial fermentation or extracted from microalgae are steadily gaining ground in the food industries (Dufossé, 2018). Thickening or gelling agents (e.g., polysaccharides such as xanthan, curdlan, gellan), flavor enhancers (yeast hydrolysate, monosodium glutamate), lipids (polyunsaturated fatty acids-PUFAs, sterols), flavor compounds (gamma-decalactone, diacetyl, methyl-ketones), vitamins, essential amino acids, pigments/colorants (carotenoids, azaphilones) (Dufossé et al., 2014; Venil et al., 2014), surfactants and acidulants (lactic acid, citric acid) are some examples illustrating this trend of the bio-based economy. Efforts have been made and continue to be done in order to reduce the production costs of components produced by algal ponds and microbial fermentation, since synthetic ones or those extracted from natural plant sources can often be produced more economically. Fungi, yeasts, bacteria, and microalgae are considered as promising living organisms for sustainable, large-scale production of commodities such as food, feed, chemicals, materials, and biofuels. The special issue emphasizes the crucial role that microorganisms and microalgae are currently playing and are likely to continue to play in future as microbial cell factories for the production of food grade components and bio-based ingredients in general. This is due to the versatility in their metabolic pathways and biochemical profiles, amenability for easy large-scale cultivation, and a long history of production by well-investigated production strains. Topics broadly cover studies in Screening and selection, Molecular traits, Metabolic investigation and regulation, Analytical chemistry, Physiology and biochemistry, Process optimization, Fermentation, Extraction techniques, Biomass and bio-products, Cultivation technology, Formulation and applications. Joseph et al. have reviewed the current state and the perspectives of bioproduction of the recombinant sweet protein thaumatin, which is one of the most promising alternatives for sugar and artificial sweeteners. Recombinant DNA technology is used in the most favorable host known today, the methylotrophic yeast, Pichia pastoris.