Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a rapidly escalating global health challenge that threatens the effectiveness of existing antibiotics and highlights the urgent need for novel antimicrobial agents. In India, the Indian Priority Pathogen List (IPPL) identifies multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens requiring immediate research and therapeutic intervention. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), naturally occurring components of innate immunity, have emerged as promising alternatives because of their broad-spectrum activity, rapid membrane-disrupting mechanisms, immunomodulatory functions, and reduced potential for resistance development. Recent advances in transcriptomics, bioinformatics, molecular modelling, and artificial intelligence have accelerated the identification of candidate AMPs from diverse natural sources. Freshwater mussels, particularly Lamellidens marginalis, represent a valuable reservoir of bioactive peptides, including big defensins and Histone H2A-derived peptides, with promising activity against priority pathogens such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Although challenges related to peptide stability, production cost, bioavailability, and clinical translation remain, continued integration of computational prediction with experimental validation offers a promising pathway for developing next-generation peptide-based therapeutics against antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infections. resources, creating sustainable, non-dairy probiotic beverages with enhanced nutritional and therapeutic value. Prebiotics further enhance probiotic survival and activity, while their combination as synbiotics offers synergistic health benefits. Microbial fermentation technology therefore represents an effective and sustainable approach for producing next-generation functional foods that support overall health and disease prevention.