Fermented foods, their microbiome and its potential in boosting human health

Abstract

Fermented foods (FFs) are part of the cultural heritage of several populations, and their production dates back 8000 years. Over the last ~150 years, the microbial consortia of many of the most widespread FFs have been characterised, leading in some instances to the standardisation of their production. Nevertheless, limited knowledge exists about the microbial communities of local and traditional FFs and their possible effects on human health. Recent findings suggest they might be a valuable source of novel probiotic strains, enriched in nutrients and highly sustainable for the environment. Despite the increasing number of observational studies and randomised controlled trials, it still remains unclear whether and how regular FF consumption is linked with health outcomes and enrichment of the gut microbiome in health‐associated species. This review aims to sum up the knowledge about traditional FFs and their associated microbiomes, outlining the role of fermentation with respect to boosting nutritional profiles and attempting to establish a link between FF consumption and health‐beneficial outcomes.

Identification of the Microbiota in Coconut Water, Kefir, Coconut Water Kefir and Coconut Water Kefir-Fermented Sourdough Using Culture-Dependent Techniques and Illumina–MiSeq Sequencing

“…The observed differences in LAB species abundance among the three fermented products can be attributed to variations in substrate availability during fermentation. Sourdough, being a solid matrix rich in carbohydrates and nutrients, likely provides more abundant and diverse substrates for microbial growth compared to liquid-based coconut water kefir and kefir [85,86]. This enhanced substrate availability in sourdough may promote higher microbial activity and species diversity, leading to increased LAB abundance.…”

Microbial Consortium of Jeju Traditional Fermented Foods and Their Cosmetic Ingredient Potential

“…Microorganisms adapt to their surroundings to form communities through interactions with other microorganisms, leading microbial communities to have a wide range of expression characteristics, so it is very important to understand microbial communities rather than individual organisms [8][9][10][11]. For this reason, microbial community analysis has also been reported in various fermented foods from around the world [12][13][14][15][16].…”

Microorganisms and Their Importance in the Food Industry: Safety, Quality and Health Properties

“…In addition, traditional fermented foods can be a source of novel microorganisms with interesting properties that can be utilised by the food industry [4][5][6]. In recent decades, there has also been increasing scientific evidence that fermented foods and the microorganisms associated with them can positively affect human health [7][8][9][10][11][12]. Certain microorganisms benefit the host by correcting imbalances in the gut microbiota [13,14], stimulating immunity [15] and producing a variety of bioactive compounds including vitamins [16], enzymes [17], bacteriocins [18], bioactive peptides [19], conjugates of linoleic acid (CLAs) [20], short-chain fatty acids [21], gammaaminobutyric acid (GABA) [22] and exopolysaccharides (EPSs) [23].…”