Fermented vegetables, such as fermented cabbage (sauerkraut), have garnered growing interest for their associations with a myriad of health benefits. However, the mechanistic details underlying the outcomes of consuming these foods require further investigation. This study examined the capacity of soluble metabolites in laboratory-scale and commercial fermented cabbage to protect against disruption of polarized Caco-2 monolayers by IFN-γ and TNF-α. Laboratory-scale ferments (LSF) were prepared with and without the addition of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum NCIMB8826R (LP8826R) and sampled after 7- and 14-days of incubation. Trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TER) and paracellular permeability to fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC) revealed that fermented cabbage, but not raw cabbage or brine, protected against cytokine-induced damage to the Caco-2 monolayers. Barrier-protective effects occurred despite increased IL-8 production following cytokine exposure. Metabolomic analyses performed using gas and liquid chromatography resulted in the identification of 149 and 333 metabolites, respectively. Significant differences were found between raw and fermented cabbage. LSF metabolomes changed over time and the profiles of LSF with LP8826R best resembled the commercial product. Overall, fermentation resulted in lower carbohydrate and increased lactic acid, lipid, amino acid derivative (including D-phenyl-lactate (D-PLA), indole-3-lactate (ILA), and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)), and phenolic compound concentrations. Lactate, D-PLA, and ILA tested individually and combined only partially protected against cytokine-induced TER reductions and increases in paracellular permeability of Caco-2 monolayers. The findings show that intestinal barrier-protective compounds are consistently enriched during cabbage fermentations, irrespective of scale or microbial additions, that may contribute to the health-promoting potential of these foods.
