Molecular Tools for the Development of Fermented Functional Foods Enriched with Bioactive Compounds

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, public concern regarding health has increased. Taking into account that it is expected that more than 35% of the world’s population will be 65 years old or older in 2050, consumers demand foods that, apart from their nutritional properties, provide them with health benefits. In this sense, recent innovative trends of consumers include a growing demand for fermented and easily digestible foods that contain probiotics as well as prebiotics aimed at achieving better gastrointestinal health. This includes naturally functional foods, such as those that contain bioactive ingredients with high bioavailability that come from vegetable-based foods, or through the revaluation of industrial food by-products with the aim of contributing to the sustainability of the food system. In addition, there is a striking demand for foods that play a fundamental role in our mental system and mental health. Due to the recent description of the intestinal–brain axis, it has been shown that foods that protect the intestinal microbiota are capable of alleviating symptoms of diseases such as depression and anxiety, as well as others such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. In short, the food demands of consumers are directed towards the development of new fermented foods, enriched in bioactive compounds, capable of not only improving the quality and safety of food but also providing health properties to the consumer. Hence, the main topic of this Special Issue is directed towards the application of molecular tools that could be applied for the development of functional foods through fermentation using technological microorganisms and through processes that exclusively involve enzymes of microbial origin that are capable of producing, improving, and increasing the availability of various compounds. This would also include the use of molecular tools for the selection of microorganisms with the ability to produce bioactive compounds, as well as their application for increasing the production of such compounds through fermentation.

Dr. Susana Langa
Dr. Jose Antonio Curiel
Dr. José María Landete
Guest Editors

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