Advances in Fermented Foods and Beverages

A special issue of Fermentation (ISSN 2311-5637). This special issue belongs to the section "Fermentation for Food and Beverages".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 2966

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Ion Ionescu de la Brad Iasi University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Horticulture, Department of Exact Sciences, 3 M. Sadoveanu Alley, 700490 Iasi, Romania
Interests: chemistry and authenticity of wine; chemistry and characterization of foods bioactive compounds; authenticity of food products; recovery of bioactive compounds from food industry waste
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fermented foods and beverages have been integral to the human diet since the dawn of civilization. These products are broadly characterized by their production through controlled microbial activity and enzymatic transformations of key food components. Food fermentations are classified based on the primary metabolites and microorganisms involved, such as alcohol, carbon dioxide, lactic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, ammonia, and fatty acids. Alternatively, they can be categorized by the substrates used, which include meats, fish, dairy products, vegetables, soybeans and other legumes, cereals, and starchy roots, as well as grapes and various other fruits. Raw materials rich in monosaccharides, disaccharides, or starch are typically fermented by yeasts or lactic acid bacteria. Molds and Bacillus species are often utilized for starch saccharification, protein hydrolysis, or as secondary agents during ripening after the initial fermentation. The wide range of combinations between foods and microorganisms has led to the creation of thousands of unique fermented foods and beverages. Despite their historical significance and widespread appeal, the industrialization and standardization of food production over the past century have diminished the diversity of fermented products. In recent years, however, these foods have experienced a resurgence in Western diets, particularly those that value artisanal production methods. This renewed interest is driven in part by the potential health benefits associated with fermented foods.

In this Special Issue, we invite researchers to contribute to enhancing the existing literature with original research and review articles on the following topics:

  • Investigations of the historical significance of fermentation;
  • Characterizations of microbial and enzymatic processes;
  • The exploration of factors contributing to consumer preferences for traditional and health-conscious food products;
  • The development of new fermented beverages or foods;
  • Fermentation of by-products derived from food processing industries;
  • The identification and characterization of bioactive compounds released during fermentation process.

Dr. Camelia Elena Luchian
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fermentation is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • health promotion
  • probiotics
  • bioactive peptides
  • functional foods
  • microbial fermentation
  • anticarcinogenic
  • cardiovascular disease
  • antimicrobial effect
  • lactic acid bacteria
  • nutraceuticals

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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28 pages, 1598 KiB  
Article
Development of Antimicrobial and Antioxidative Chicken Patties Using Liquid-Fermented Ganoderma lucidum and Pleurotus djamor Fruiting Body Biomass
by Nur Asyiqin Zahia-Azizan, Chong Shin Yee, Muhammad Ameer Ushidee-Radzi, Zul Ilham, Muhamad Hafiz Abd Rahim, Siva Raseetha, Nazimah Hamid, Adi Ainurzaman Jamaludin and Wan Abd Al Qadr Imad Wan-Mohtar
Fermentation 2025, 11(7), 393; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11070393 - 9 Jul 2025
Viewed by 519
Abstract
Medicinal mushroom production utilising rural cultivation (solid state fermentation) requires approximately six months compared to culinary mushroom production (7 days). Urban cultivation (submerged liquid fermentation) can be used as a sustainable method of producing medicinal mushroom biomass. In this study, chicken patties were [...] Read more.
Medicinal mushroom production utilising rural cultivation (solid state fermentation) requires approximately six months compared to culinary mushroom production (7 days). Urban cultivation (submerged liquid fermentation) can be used as a sustainable method of producing medicinal mushroom biomass. In this study, chicken patties were fortified with liquid-fermented Ganoderma lucidum flour (GLF) and Pleurotus djamor mushroom biomass flour (PDF) at concentrations of 3%, 6%, and 9%. These were compared to a negative control (0% mushroom flour chicken patty) and a commercial patty. Chicken patties fortified with 3% PDF and 9% GLF recorded the lowest cooking loss, at 5.55% and 10.3%, respectively. Mushroom chicken patties exhibited lower cooking losses and significant changes in colour and texture compared to control samples. Notably, 3% GLF chicken patty achieved the highest overall acceptability score of 6.55 followed by 9% PDF chicken patty (6.08) (p < 0.05). Biomass flour of liquid-fermented Ganoderma lucidum (ENS-GL) and Pleurotus djamor (ENS-PD) were extracted for their endopolysaccharide and analysed for their functional properties. All elemental, FT-IR, and NMR spectroscopy analyses revealed the existence of a comparable beta-glucan polymer structure, linkages, and absorptions when compared to the Laminarin standard. In addition, ENS-GL also proved to possess higher antimicrobial activities and significant antioxidant levels (DPPH-scavenging activity, ferric reduction potential and total phenolic content) compared to ENS-PD. Overall, this study revealed that sustainable liquid-fermented Ganoderma lucidum, a medicinal mushroom, outperformed Pleurotus djamor, a culinary mushroom, as a potential alternative flour for combating hunger in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fermented Foods and Beverages)
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29 pages, 3353 KiB  
Article
A Comparative Study of the Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Properties of Fermented Camel (Camelus dromedarius) and Gir Cow (Bos primigenius indicus) Milk and the Production of Bioactive Peptides via In Vitro and In Silico Studies
by Brijesh Bhuva, Bethsheba Basaiawmoit, Amar A. Sakure, Pooja M. Mankad, Anita Rawat, Mahendra Bishnoi, Kanthi Kiran Kondepudi, Ashish Patel, Preetam Sarkar and Subrota Hati
Fermentation 2025, 11(7), 391; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11070391 - 8 Jul 2025
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Abstract
In this study, camel milk (CM) and Gir cow milk (GCM) were fermented through cofermentation via yeast–lactic cultures, i.e., Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (M9, MTCC 25516) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (WBS2A, MG101828), and their antioxidant and antidiabetic effectiveness were studied. To optimize the growth conditions, the [...] Read more.
In this study, camel milk (CM) and Gir cow milk (GCM) were fermented through cofermentation via yeast–lactic cultures, i.e., Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (M9, MTCC 25516) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (WBS2A, MG101828), and their antioxidant and antidiabetic effectiveness were studied. To optimize the growth conditions, the level of proteolysis was evaluated by exploring various inoculation levels (1.5, 2.0 and 2.5%) as well as incubation durations (0, 12, 24, 36 and 48 h). Peptides were extracted and purified through 2D gel electrophoresis as well as SDS–PAGE. Water-soluble extracts (WSEs) of ultrafiltered (UF) peptide fractions were evaluated via reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) to identify the peptide segments. By applying the Peakview tool, peptide sequences obtained from liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS) were reviewed by comparison with those in the BIOPEP database. Furthermore, the elevated levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and nitric oxide (NO) in RAW 267.4 cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are considerably lower than those in cultured CM and GCM. Protein macromolecules in CMs and GCMs have been captured via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy both before and after fermentation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fermented Foods and Beverages)
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Review

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22 pages, 4300 KiB  
Review
Advancing Sparkling Wine in the 21st Century: From Traditional Methods to Modern Innovations and Market Trends
by Camelia Elena Luchian, Dragoș Grosaru, Elena Cristina Scutarașu, Lucia Cintia Colibaba, Andrei Scutarașu and Valeriu V. Cotea
Fermentation 2025, 11(4), 174; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation11040174 - 26 Mar 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1403
Abstract
Sparkling wine production has changed over time due to ongoing technological developments and market adjustments. This study provides an overview of the historical context, the characteristics of raw materials and base wine, modern technologies and current trends in the sparkling wine market. Important [...] Read more.
Sparkling wine production has changed over time due to ongoing technological developments and market adjustments. This study provides an overview of the historical context, the characteristics of raw materials and base wine, modern technologies and current trends in the sparkling wine market. Important scientific advances with potential for wide-scale applicability are highlighted, such as the investigation of unconventional grape types, the progress of winemaking methods and the effects of compositional changes on quality and sensory characteristics. In addition, the nutritional effects of bioactive components in wine are discussed. Market trends indicate a growing global demand for sparkling wines over time, driven by changing consumer preferences and the diversification of wine-producing areas. Future prospects focus on sustainability, low-alcohol alternatives and the integration of emerging technologies. Combining tradition with innovation, the sparkling wine industry continues to expand, offering new opportunities to both producers and consumers. Research on the quality of sparkling wines in the context of climate change and evolving consumer preferences is still limited and warrants greater attention. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Fermented Foods and Beverages)
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