The Health-Boosting Power of Fermented Foods and Their By-Products

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, chronic and age-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity have become increasingly important, as they are often marked by inflammation and an imbalance in the body's redox state. As a result, there is growing interest in developing new strategies involving nutraceuticals—bioactive compounds derived from food that offer health benefits beyond basic nutrition. In particular, antioxidant peptides, polyphenols, and other health-promoting compounds are gaining attention. In addition, probiotics have been shown to offer numerous health advantages, including antimicrobial and antihypertensive effects, lowering cholesterol levels, and enhancing the immune system.

Fermentation, a traditional method to preserve food and improve qualities such as flavor, aroma, and appearance, plays a key role in this area. Specific families of lactic acid bacteria like Lactobacillaceae and Streptococcaceae, as well as yeasts and other microorganisms, are commonly used in fermentation processes. Fermented foods are valued not only for their ability to prevent spoilage and extend shelf life but also for their potential health benefits. The proteolytic action of fermenting bacteria can enhance the bioavailability of beneficial compounds such as polyphenols and bioactive peptides.

Fermentation with selected microorganisms can also improve the nutritional properties of food waste and by-products, enhancing their antioxidant capabilities. Extracting compounds from food by-products allows these extracts to be used in the food industry to produce higher-quality products. The interaction between probiotics and antioxidants is especially noteworthy and could lead to new biotechnological developments, enabling the creation of functional foods that benefit both human and animal health.

The aim of this Special Issue is to publish innovative research and review articles on the following topics:

• The role of antioxidant compounds in fermented foods;
• The health benefits of combining fermented foods or food by-products with antioxidants;
• Interactions between antioxidants and fermentation products;
• The development of new fermented foods or beverages with antioxidant properties;
• Fermentation of by-products from the food processing industry;
• The identification of bioactive compounds released during fermentation;
• Evaluations of the effects of antioxidant compounds in fermented foods (in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo).

If you would like to contribute related topics, please feel free to contact one of the Guest Editors.

Dr. Federica Tonolo
Dr. Maria Pia Rigobello
Guest Editors

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.

• antioxidant compounds
• fermentation
• fermented foods
• human/animal health
• bioactive compounds
• bioactive peptides
• functional foods
• nutraceuticals
• benefits of fermented foods
• probiotic foods