Nutritional Guidelines and Fermented Food Frameworks

Abstract

This review examines different nutritional guidelines, some case studies, and provides insights and discrepancies, in the regulatory framework of Food Safety Management of some of the world’s economies. There are thousands of fermented foods and beverages, although the intention was not to review them but check their traditional and cultural value, and if they are still lacking to be classed as a category on different national food guides. For understanding the inconsistencies in claims of concerning fermented foods among various regulatory systems, each legal system should be considered unique. Fermented foods and beverages have long been a part of the human diet, and with further supplementation of probiotic microbes, in some cases, they offer nutritional and health attributes worthy of recommendation of regular consumption. Despite the impact of fermented foods and beverages on gastro-intestinal wellbeing and diseases, their many health benefits or recommended consumption has not been widely translated to global inclusion in world food guidelines. In general, the approach of the legal systems is broadly consistent and their structures may be presented under different formats. African traditional fermented products are briefly mentioned enhancing some recorded adverse effects. Knowing the general benefits of traditional and supplemented fermented foods, they should be a daily item on most national food guides.

Influence of Storage Temperature and Packaging on Bacteria and Yeast Viability in a Plant-Based Fermented Food

“…The development of new functional foods has gained recent interest due to the growing incidence of chronic diseases [1,2] and the central role of nutrition in most of them [3,4]. Among functional foods, fermented foods are recognized as beneficial for humans' microbiota and are well established in the health market as promising therapeutic agents [5][6][7]. Fermented foods can be defined as foods and beverages produced through the culture of certain microorganisms in controlled conditions [8].…”

Harnessing Microbes for Sustainable Development: Food Fermentation as a Tool for Improving the Nutritional Quality of Alternative Protein Sources

“…At the industrial level, this process must be tightly controlled, and microbial starters with temporal and spatial stability and resilience are needed to produce high-quality foods with low variability between batches [10]. The main microorganisms and enzymes for the fermentation process have been clearly identified, mainly belonging to the genera Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Enterococcus, Vibrio, Weissella, Pediococcus, Enterobacter, Salinivibrio, Acinetobacter, Macrococcus, Kluyvera, and Clostridium [21]. Nowadays, with the application of metagenomic approaches, it is possible to identify a vast array of microorganisms that are difficult to culture or that have never been previously isolated in fermented food, and it is also possible to have a clear profile and dynamics of the fermentation process [22].…”

Fermented Food Guidelines for Children

“…Evaluating dietary guidelines among various countries can help identify their strengths and limitations, yet such assessments are lacking due to the complexity involved. Trying to compare qualitatively current population-level dietary recommendations and pictorial food guides issued by government or nutrition agencies across nutrition transition stages (early, ongoing, and transitioned) is almost an impossible task 8 . Health practitioners will benefit from recognising and understanding different cultural practices and beliefs in relation to health, food and nutrition.…”