The Role of Fermentation in Enhancing the Nutritional Value of Foods

About this Research Topic

Background

Fermentation has long been integral to food preparation and preservation, and it has gained renewed attention for its role in improving food nutrition and functionality. This traditional technique, deeply rooted in culinary and cultural practices worldwide, is increasingly recognized as sustainable and cost-effective for transforming the nutritional and functional attributes of various foods. Recent studies highlight the ability of fermentation to enhance the bioavailability of essential nutrients, influence gut microbiota composition with probiotics, and mitigate the presence of components that may interfere with nutrient absorption or trigger allergies. Despite its benefits, the full scope of fermentation's potential remains underexplored, especially concerning gene–nutrient interactions and precision nutrition.

This Research Topic aims to investigate and expand the knowledge on fermentation's multifaceted role in nutritional enhancement and health promotion. By delving into areas such as microbial fermentation's impact on bioactive compounds, fermentation processes that improve plant-based food digestibility, and contemporary biotechnological advancements, the goal is to provide new insights and directions for food science research. Key questions include understanding the genetic and biochemical mechanisms by which fermentation alters nutrient profiles and exploring its applications in personalized nutrition.

As we advance the field of fermentation research, we invite submissions that highlight its wide-ranging and significant impact. Potential topics include:
• Microbial fermentation's influence on bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties.
• Fermentation's effectiveness in enhancing digestibility and functionality in plant-based diets.
• The innovation-driven reduction of antinutrients and allergens through varied fermentation techniques.
• Cutting-edge biotechnological applications, such as encapsulated probiotics and AI-assisted process enhancements.
• Omics-driven research on the biochemical changes induced by fermentation in food matrices.
• The modernization of traditional fermented foods and their cultural significance in contemporary diets.

By bringing together expertise from food science, biotechnology, molecular nutrition, and microbiome research, this Research Topic aims to foster a multidisciplinary dialogue. The goal is to explore how fermentation can contribute to sustainable dietary practices that align with global health and environmental objectives, such as the One Health and Farm to Fork principles.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: fermentation, food biotechnology, functional foods, bioactive compounds, probiotics, gut microbiota, plant-based nutrition, antinutrients, nutrigenomics, precision nutrition, sustainable diets, metabolomics, food processing, food innovation, personalized nutrition

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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