Fermented Foods: Processing, Microbiology and Health Benefits

Dear Colleagues,

Fermented foods represent one of humanity’s oldest biotechnological achievements, and they continue to play a central role in contemporary food science, microbiology, and nutrition research. Produced and consumed across diverse cultures, these foods are increasingly recognized for their contributions to human health, functional nutrition, and sustainable food systems. This Special Issue, ‘Fermented Foods: Processing, Microbiology and Health Benefits’, invites original research articles, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses that advance the scientific understanding of fermented food systems.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, fermentation processing and technological optimization; enhancement of nutritional and functional properties through the generation of bioactive compounds; safety assessment and quality control; characterization of microbial communities, starter cultures, and fermentation dynamics; and the identification and bioactivity of fermentation-derived metabolites. Contributions addressing probiotic and prebiotic potential, interactions with the gut microbiome, and the role of fermented foods in the prevention or management of non-communicable diseases are particularly encouraged.

Studies applying omics-based approaches, clinical or in vivo models, and innovative analytical tools are welcome. We also encourage research on the valorization of agro-industrial by-products and sustainability-oriented fermentation strategies, supporting circular bio-economy principles. We look forward to receiving high-quality, globally representative contributions from researchers in food technology, microbiology, nutrition, and biomedical sciences.

Dr. Eskindir Getachew Fentie
Dr. You Tian
Dr. Fani Th Mantzouridou
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2900 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.