2026· Advances in Food and Nutrition Research· Vol 121, pp.
79-130
· 0 citations
Medicine
TL;DR
The mechanistic links between microbial metabolism and host health are explored, emerging fermentation technologies for targeted metabolite production are reviewed, and industrial case studies demonstrating the transition of precision fermentation from research to commercial applications are highlighted.
The food microbiome, comprising microorganisms present in foods and fermentation, links diet, environment, and host physiology. This review examines its evolutionary, contemporary, and future nutritional relevance, including emerging applications of artificial intelligence (AI). In early human diets, fermentation likely improved food safety and nutrient accessibility, although its contribution to encephalization remains unproven. In modern populations, fermented foods and microbial metabolites shape the composition of the gut microbiome and modulate host metabolic, immune, and neuroactive functions. Rising atmospheric CO₂ is projected to reduce protein and micronutrient concentrations in staple crops, increasing interest in microbial fermentation as a strategy to enhance nutrient availability. Integration of AI with multi-omics enables functional characterisation of fermentation ecosystems and supports the development of targeted, personalised nutritional strategies, although translational and mechanistic challenges remain unresolved.
E. Zannini, L. Nyhan, Marco Gobbetti et al.· Current Opinion in Biotechno...· 0 citations
The gastrointestinal microbiota has a pivotal role in human health, orchestrating metabolic homeostasis, immunological activity, and nutrient bioavailability. Dietary modulation of gut microbiota is the simplest and most effective approach to preventing and managing metabolic and inflammatory disorders. Duckweed, particularly
Wolffia
species, has recently emerged as a sustainable, nutrient‐dense functional food with potential microbiome‐mediated benefits. Beyond its high‐quality protein content, duckweed provides fermentable fibers, polyphenols, minerals, and micronutrients including vitamin B
12
—that potentially influence gut microbial composition and metabolic activity. Evidence from compositional analyses, in vitro human colonic fermentation models, animal studies, and controlled dietary interventions suggests that duckweed‐derived substrates support short‐chain fatty acid production, generate bioactive phenolic metabolites, and interact with probiotic taxa, positioning duckweed as a prebiotic‐like matrix with synbiotic potential. Clinical studies within whole‐diet frameworks, such as green‐Mediterranean dietary patterns incorporating
Wolffia globosa
, report favorable metabolic outcomes alongside microbiome‐associated signals. This review synthesizes mechanistic, preclinical, and clinical evidence to reframe duckweed not just as another alternative protein, but as a microbiota‐accessible, synbiotic‐ready food matrix, while identifying the critical evidence gaps that currently limit clinical translation and regulatory constraints.
Anwesha Bandyopadhyay, I. Vashisht, Tarun Pal· Comprehensive Physiology· 0 citations
Fermented foods are among the few dietary interventions shown to increase gut microbiome diversity and reduce systemic inflammation in healthy adults, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. Metabolites produced during food fermentation, termed fermentation-derived metabolites (FDMs), represent a largely uncharacterized pool of bioactive compounds that may directly mediate the physiological effects of fermented food consumption. Here, we characterize the metabolite landscape of ten vegetable-based fermented foods using metabolomics, identifying conserved enrichment of aromatic and branched-chain amino acid derivatives across diverse substrates. Using sauerkraut as a chemically representative model system, we show that metabolite extracts from wild green sauerkraut (wGS-FDMs) remodel intestinal and systemic immune populations and shift gut microbiome composition in healthy mice. wGS-FDMs suppressed NF-κB activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion in vitro and decreased colitis severity in vivo. In a chronic high-fat diet model, wGS-FDMs attenuated weight gain and improved glucose and insulin tolerance, consistent with stimulation of GLP-1 secretion in vitro. Collectively, these findings establish FDMs as biologically potent dietary components capable of simultaneously modulating immune, microbial, and metabolic homeostasis across multiple physiological systems, positioning metabolites from fermented foods as an important and underappreciated class of dietary effectors in the context of chronic disease.
Elisa B. Caffrey, E. K. Robinson, Jessica L. Fessler et al.· bioRxiv· 0 citations
Millets are nutrient-rich, climate-resilient grains widely consumed in developing nations. Fermentation enhances their nutritional and functional properties, offering potential benefits for gut health. This review examines the impact of fermented millet products on gut microbiota composition, digestive health, and their functional bioactivity. An extensive literature review was conducted, analysing traditional and modern fermented millet products, associated microbial consortia, biochemical changes during fermentation, and their health implications, especially in relation to gut flora and metabolic regulation. Fermentation significantly enhances the nutritional quality of millets by improving the bioavailability of minerals, reducing antinutritional factors, and enriching bioactive compounds, including polyphenols and dietary fibre. Lactic acid bacteria and yeasts in fermented products enhance protein digestibility, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) production, and gut microbial diversity. These changes contribute to immune modulation, anti-inflammatory responses, and mitigation of gut dysbiosis. Numerous traditional fermented millet foods, such as Koko, Fura, and Dosa, enriched with probiotics, show health-promoting potential. Modern innovations focus on developing shelf-stable, functional millet-based products. Fermented millet products offer a promising, sustainable dietary strategy to enhance gut health and prevent chronic diseases. Their integration into functional foods can support global nutrition and combat food insecurity.
Vijay Kumar, Charu Sharma, S. Bhatt et al.· Food Production, Processing...· 0 citations
The gut microbiota is a dynamic, complex microbial ecosystem that is fundamental to human health and influences metabolism, immunity, and susceptibility to disease. There is growing evidence that bioactive peptides (BAPs) are important regulators of gut microbiota composition and function. BAPs are short protein fragments liberated through enzymatic hydrolysis or microbial fermentation in vitro and during the digestion of food proteins in vivo. The biological activities of these BAPs, beyond their antioxidant, antihypertensive, and antimicrobial effects, include maintaining gut balance and supporting overall well-being. The relationship between BAPs and gut microbiota is two-way: peptides selectively promote beneficial microbes, and the microbiota enzymatically convert peptides into bioactive metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids and altered bile acids, or further hydrolyze them into shorter BAPs. This interaction between gut microbiota and BAPs has been shown to confer significant therapeutic benefits from combined nutritional interventions in the management of chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, and neurological diseases. This review examines the current state of gut microbiota-targeted BAPs, including their sources, properties, and mechanisms. It underscores their contribution to microbial diversity and metabolic activity, which support immune balance and the functioning of the gut-brain axis. In addition, it addresses novel ways to increase the activity of BAPs with respect to stability and delivery. Challenges such as peptide bioavailability, microbiome diversity, and a lack of clinical evidence are also critically discussed. Future perspectives focus on leveraging omics technologies and personalized nutrition to unlock the potential of BAPs for therapeutic and functional food applications. The review indicates the promising potential of BAPs as microbiota-based, innovative, and useful agents in nutritional therapy.
Brij Pal Singh, Prabhashis Bose, Jae-Young Je· Frontiers in Nutrition· 0 citations
The expanded microorganism-centered synthesis shows that dietary effects depend on microbial niche, substrate availability, community succession, metabolite production, and strain-specific probiotic or pathobiont activity.
Md. Hashibur Rahman, Hyuncheol Jeon, Haham Kim et al.· Microorganisms· 0 citations
We use cookies to run the site and, with your consent, for analytics and to show ads.
See our Cookie Policy.
