Objective:

To analyze the practical challenges and significance of implementing standardized foodomics workflows across different research environments.

Key Findings:

• Significant differences in infrastructure and technical support exist between laboratories in high-income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), impacting the effectiveness of foodomics research.
• Established techniques like fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis are more common in LMICs, while resource-intensive methods like nontargeted metabolomics are prevalent in HICs, highlighting disparities in research capabilities.
• Procurement delays and limited access to maintenance services hinder the implementation of standardized workflows in LMICs, affecting research outcomes.
• Laboratories in LMICs face longer delivery times for analytical reagents and consumables compared to those in HICs, complicating their research efforts.

Interpretation:

The successful implementation of standardized foodomics protocols relies not only on the protocols themselves but also on the availability of necessary infrastructure, technical expertise, and reliable supply chains, which are critical for effective research.

Limitations:

• The study's findings are based on a limited number of responses (34) from diverse laboratories, which may not fully represent the global landscape of foodomics research.
• Differences in regional resources and capabilities may affect the generalizability of the results, particularly across various geographical contexts.

Conclusion:

Standardized analytical protocols are crucial for generating comparable datasets in foodomics, but their success is contingent upon addressing infrastructure, expertise, and supply chain challenges identified in the study.