Application of sequencing in the dairy industry

The aim of the study is to systematize information on modern highthroughput sequencing methods and assess the prospects for their application in the dairy industry. The review is based on the analysis of publications posted in the Scopus, Web of Science and eLibrary databases for 2015–2025. The selection took into account the completeness of the description of the methodology, the reliability of the results and their practical significance. Brief publications without a description of the methods and results, as well as materials that did not correspond to the topic of sequencing in the dairy industry, were excluded. The principles, advantages and limitations of Illumina, Ion Torrent, Oxford Nanopore and PacBio technologies are considered. The areas of application of sequencing are identified: control of the microbiota of dairy products, diagnostics of pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes, genomic selection of dairy cattle, development of probiotic cultures. The key role of metagenomic analysis in assessing the microbial composition of milk and fermented milk products, as well as its effect on organoleptic and functional properties is noted. Examples of using genomic data in the selection of animals with high productivity and resistance to diseases, as well as bacterial strains with specified technological characteristics are given. The practice of introducing sequencing into the activities of large dairy companies, including quality control and the development of functional products, is considered. The prospects for integrating massive parallel sequencing data with other omics technologies necessary for a comprehensive assessment of raw materials and finished products are noted. Conclusions are made about the high efficiency of modern sequencing methods for improving the quality, safety and innovative level of dairy products, as well as the need for further development of bioinformatics tools and interdisciplinary interaction.