Fermented foods in a global age: East meets West

Abstract

Fermented foods and alcoholic beverages have long been an important part of the human diet in nearly every culture on every continent. These foods are often well‐preserved and serve as stable and significant sources of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Despite these common features, however, many differences exist with respect to substrates and products and the types of microbes involved in the manufacture of fermented foods and beverages produced globally. In this review, we describe these differences and consider the influence of geography and industrialization on fermented foods manufacture. Whereas fermented foods produced in Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand usually depend on defined starter cultures, those made in Asia and Africa often rely on spontaneous fermentation. Likewise, in developing countries, fermented foods are not often commercially produced on an industrial scale. Although many fermented products rely on autochthonous microbes present in the raw material, for other products, the introduction of starter culture technology has led to greater consistency, safety, and quality. The diversity and function of microbes present in a wide range of fermented foods can now be examined in detail using molecular and other omic approaches. The nutritional value of fermented foods is now well‐appreciated, especially in resource‐poor regions where yoghurt and other fermented foods can improve public health and provide opportunities for economic development. Manufacturers of fermented foods, whether small or large, should follow Good Manufacturing Practices and have sustainable development goals. Ultimately, preferences for fermented foods and beverages depend on dietary habits of consumers, as well as regional agricultural conditions and availability of resources.

What Are the Implications of Globalization on Sustainability?—A Comprehensive Study

“…Sustainable development is a growth parameter that meets requirements of the current time without negotiating the capability of future generations in meeting their own requirements [29][30][31]. An evolution has been experienced of the concept of sustainable development over time from the earlier time where focus was on the environmental dimension to the present understanding that sustainable development is a process that incorporates economic, environmental, and societal objectives [32,33].…”

Consumption of Fermented Foods Is Associated with Systematic Differences in the Gut Microbiome and Metabolome

“…Advantages of food fermentation include improvements in food preservation, food safety, nutritional value, and organoleptic quality resulting from the activity of microbial ecosystems (bacteria and yeast) (1). Fermentation can be applied to a range of food types, including meat, fish, milk, vegetables, beans, cereals, and fruits, and occurs spontaneously from the original ingredients or environment or is controlled by the addition of specific starters such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (2). These bacteria are commonly detected in fermented food, mostly including Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Lactococcus, and Leuconostoc, but other bacteria as well as yeast and fungi are also involved in food fermentations (3).…”

Metaproteomics insights into traditional fermented foods and beverages

“…The contribution of microbially metabolized proteins to food taste should be identified from the perspectives of flavor and especially taste, such as the presence of peptides that contribute to bitterness in cheese (Sebald, Dunkel, Schafer, Hinrichs, & Hofmann, 2018). The analysis of the microbial community and flavor substances in TFFB microecology plays an important role in ensuring the quality of fermented food produced on a large scale (Tamang et al., 2020).…”