Dear Colleagues,

Fermented foods and beverages are gaining great attention due to their natural, nutritional, and functional utility for the promotion of health. Fermented foods are rich in probiotic bacteria, and their consumption enriches the pool of beneficial bacteria and enzymes in the intestine, thereby increasing the health of gut microbiome and digestive system and enhancing the immune system. The human gastrointestinal tract harbors a diverse array of microorganisms that play fundamental roles in health and disease. An imbalance in the gut microbiota, namely, dysbiosis, can lead to various diseases, including cancer and gastrointestinal tract disorders. Approaches to improve gut dysbiosis, such as dietary interventions, intake of probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation, are emerging strategies to treat these diseases. On a similar note, various studies have reported that fermented food are probiotic-rich with potential health benefits. On the contrary, raw or plant-based food are often considered tough to digest because they require a diverse microbiota in the gut, which may be lacking. It is thus believed that fermented food is better than the corresponding raw food. The original inoculum used to ferment a foodstuff influences the bioactivity of resulting fermented foods. Fermented foods provide more nutrients than raw materials. Various scientific reports claim that fermented foods have anti-cancer and/or anti-inflammatory properties. Preclinical studies have illustrated that some fermented products are also capable to modulate the gut microbiota, suggesting their use as a possible means to improve gut dysbiosis and thereby assist diseases treatment. Fermented food can also eliminate anti-nutrients that interfere with the absorption of nutrients. These observations emphasize the need to study the effect of fresh produce and fermented products in relation to gut microbiota diversity to better take advantage of their health benefits.

Dr. Kavita Sharma
Guest Editor

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• fermentation
• microbiota
• inoculum
• immune system
• health
• probiotics
• dietary fiber
• bioactivity
• nutrients
• enzymes