Starter Culture Development and Innovation for Novel Fermented Foods.

Biotechnology is as old as human civilization and has been an integral part of the human life and is believed to originate more recently to its modern form from an indigenous knowledge of African traditional food and beverage fermentation practices. The application of modern biotechnology methods in the food and agricultural industry is expected to alleviate hunger today and help avoid mass starvation in the future. Nowadays, modern food biotechnology has been transforming our traditional way of food production and preparation far beyond the traditional scope. Currently, at global level, food biotechnological research has focused on; traditional process optimization (starter culture development, enzymology), food safety and quality, nutritional quality improvement and food preservation (improving shelf life). Special emphasis has also been given to the newly growing concept such as functional foods and probiotics. To this regard, the science has gone more beyond our expectation and exemplary achievements are described here. In this review, food biotechnological research on Ethiopian indigenous traditional fermented foods and beverages was assessed in view of this global achievement. Microbiological study on Ethiopian traditional fermented foods and beverages has focused more on Isolation, identification, characterization of fermentative microbes, attempts to develop starter culture, physicochemical, biochemical, nutritional composition change during fermentation, depicting general traditional processing and recently on probiotics. Most of the researches have been concentrated on some very commonly and widely known traditional fermented foods and beverages nearly around the central and southern part of the country. The research was also fragmented and not progressive for a given food and/or beverage. Biotechnological researches on Ethiopian traditional fermented foods and beverages have not gone far beyond some attempts on molecular characterization study of fermentative microorganisms. The reasons for this limitation could be linked to the fact that; biotechnological research is capital intensive, requires the use of sophisticated equipment, reagents, chemicals and needs sufficient trained man power in the field. Lack of funding, little attention from government policy and the endemicity of the traditional fermentation techniques may also have contributed for the less/no advancement of the techniques. In conclusion, to promote Ethiopian indigenous traditional fermented foods and beverages into commercialization/ industrialization, using currently advancing food fermentation biotechnology, we need to: realize the economic benefits of these indigenous traditional knowledge, develop our human, technical and institutional capability, go out to assess the cultural and geographical diversities of the country, broaden our research topics far beyond the current, and keep on continuous and progressive research.

Fermented foods are known for several health benefits, and they are generally used among the Asian people. Microorganisms involved in the fermentation process are most responsible for the final quality of the food. Traditional fermented (spontaneous fermentation) foods are a versatile source of bioactive molecules and bioactive microbes. Several reports are available regarding the isolation and characterization of potent strains from traditional fermented foods. A collection of information for easy literature analysis of bioactive microbes derived from Thai fermented food is not yet available. The current manuscript compiled information on bioactive (antimicrobial- and enzyme-producing probiotic) microbes isolated from naturally fermented Thai foods.

Potential use of traditional fermented foods for weaning in Zimbabwe

Chapter 5 - Fermented foods and probiotic beverages in Korea

Improving phenolic bioactive-linked functional qualities of traditional cereal-based fermented food (Ogi) of Nigeria using compatible food synergies with underutilized edible plants

Fermented foods represent complex microbial ecosystems that contribute to food quality, functionality, and potential health benefits, yet many traditional fermented foods remain poorly characterized. The aim of this study was to study microbial diversity, and functional potential of underexplored traditional Indonesian fermented food. The fermented products displayed substantial variation in bacterial richness, ranging from 65 to 614 bacterial amplicon sequence variants across samples. The microbial communities were dominated by bacterial taxa affiliated with the orders Bacillales and Lactobacillales, alongside fungal taxa from the order Mucorales. The plant-based products i.e. tape ketan and tape singkong had a higher bacterial abundance but lower diversity than animal-based terasi. We found significant correlations between bacterial and fungal communities dominated by positive cooccurrence patterns and highly complex networks especially in terasi. Each food product was characterized by a unique functional profile of genes linked to beneficial metabolic functions (biosynthesis of bacteriocins, short-chain fatty acids, and vitamins) but tape ketan samples demonstrated the highest diversity and abundance of them. Metagenome assembled genomes reflect a high diversity of health beneficial properties as well as substrate-specific degradation capabilities. Traditional Indonesian fermented foods harbour functionally redundant but phylogenetically diverse taxa offering a potential source for probiotic traits and functional food development.

Fermented soybean foods: A review of their functional components, mechanism of action and factors influencing their health benefits

Generally, traditional fermented foods are an extremely valuable addition on human diet because of their nutritive and functional properties. Different kinds of fermented foods are found in worldwide such as butter, cheese, bread, sausages, beer, wine, curd, kimchi, sauerkraut, fermented rice etc. Traditional fermented products are those products which are native to people and people of the local area prepare them with the help of their traditional knowledge from the ancestors. Traditional fermented foods are rich resources for isolation of probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms that have a health beneficial on the host organism. Different biological properties have been reported for probiotics, including antimicrobial activity, prevention and treatment of cancer, antiaging, immune booster. However, there are only few studies investigating about the use of probiotics as applicants for alternative antimicrobial therapy, role of probiotics as alternative prevention and treatment of cancer, And antiaging. Probiotics are one of the optimistic supplements that may potentially prevent these harmful effects. When consumed in acceptable quantities, probiotics may modulate biological functions and health benefits. Thus, in this study we deliver a wide-ranging approach to the current state of probiotic on human health and point out future directions in the field. This paper also reviews the research status of probiotic isolated from fermented foods, and discusses about the future developments of the related industry.

The continent of Africa is endowed with a rich cultural heritage, where traditional fermented food products play a dominant role in the diet and socio-economic life of its people. Fermentation is a simple and inexpensive approach to the improvement of safety, nutritional, organoleptic value and shelf life of food substrates. In Africa, most traditional food fermentations remain household arts, which are transferred from one generation to the other preserving the culture and tradition of the food products. Food fermentations can be acidic, alkaline or alcoholic where microorganisms perform a number of roles that assist the overall improvement of food quality and safety. Scientific advances have elucidated the selection and use of appropriate multifunctional microbial strains, which have contributed to the biotechnological applications and improvement of the safety and functionality of traditional fermented foods of Africa. In this chapter, we discuss the tradition, safety, quality and challenges associated with the biotechnology of the African traditional fermented foods, and how to surmount these problems to meet contemporary consumer acceptability and market demands.

This chapter presents information on research priorities in the application of biotechnology to indigenous food fermentations of the developing countries, the majority of which lie within the tropics. The presentation includes developing and improving scientific and technological knowledge of the fermentation processes and the benefits and problems associated with industrialisation of traditional fermentation processes. Indigenous or traditional fermented foods form an essential part of the diet of many people in developing countries, and biotechnology is known to have originated with such traditional food fermentations. Fermented foods are made from plant and animal materials by processes in which micro-organisms play an active role in modifying the starting material physically, nutritionally and organoleptically. Biotechnology may be categorised as low-, intermediate- or high-level. The input for low level biotechnology, also known as village level technology, is a simple capital investment with simple, indigenous equipment. Biotechnology at low and intermediate levels for indigenous food fermentations could have wider applications in many developing countries.

Traditional fermented vegetables have inconsistent quality and high nitrite content, whereas a commercial starter culture could overcome these problems. A total of 34 lactic acid bacteria strains were screened from 2 homemade naturally fermented Chinese cabbages. Fermented characters of single starter or mixed cultures were examined, including acidification, growth rate, and nitrite depletion ability in the fermented culture. As a result, the combined starter culture (Lactobacillus delbrueckii IWQ and Lactobacillus paracasei J21) was selected. The fermented Chinese cabbage resulted from this mixed starter culture had higher sugar content residue (30.5 mg/mL for mixed culture and 22 mg/mL for control). And the titratable acid of the cabbage fermented by the mixed starter was 110°T, which was twice higher than that of control sample. The selected starter culture also had a better texture and sensory qualities than that the starter cultures from a local fermented Chinese cabbage plant, especially for its significantly lower nitrite content (3.00 mg/kg for mixed culture and 4.49 mg/kg for control). The findings of this study form a database for further studies on the development of starter cultures for fermented cabbage production and could replaced the local plant starter culture. LABs were screened from traditional fermented food. The fermented characteristics of selected LABs were better than that of starter cultures from a local Chinese cabbage plant. Selected LAB can decrease nitrite content in fermented cabbage. The Chinese cabbage fermented by the selected LAB had the good flavor and texture.

Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the world’s richest selections of indigenous fermented foods which constitute valuable cultural heritage with significant socio-economic impact. The review provides an in-depth examination of the diversity of indigenous fermented foods of Kenya in the cultural practices context, interlinked microbiome, associated nutritional and food security aspects while positing valorisation perspective. The traditional fermented foods are profiled into five clusters with significant valorisation potential for food systems in: (i) non-alcoholic cereal-based thin porridge (uji) and (ii) fermented milk products (mursik and suusac). This is informed by agro-productivity resilience and evolving consumption preferences. Whereas these foods are commonly processed via artisanal methods, often resulting in inconsistent products, locally tailored starter culture trials in uji and suusac have shown a promising model to guarantee microbiological safety, mitigate contamination and assure stable sensory characteristics. It is thus plausible to posit, that integrated microbial ecology of traditional fermentation and food systems policy-level research targeted at a reengineering of the unit operations with the intent of improving safety and nutritional quality while being cognizant of organoleptic traits and intertwined biocultural diversity is highly desirable. Particularly, with a broader foresight for promoting sustainable food systems at the base of the pyramid.

Traditional fermented foods from Türkiye are integral components of the nation's culinary heritage, reflecting a remarkable diversity shaped by local practices and ecosystems. These products embody region-specific microbial communities, often conceptualized as a "microbial terroir," which influence their sensory qualities, nutritional value, and health-promoting properties. This study followed the PRISMA 2020 guidelines and included a systematic review and bibliometric analysis. A structured search was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) on 15 January 2025 using predefined keywords related to Turkish fermented foods and fermentation processes. Records were screened based on language (English or Turkish) and document type (articles, reviews, book chapters, and early access). A total of 1464 studies met the eligibility criteria, reflecting a 2.81% annual growth rate and a 12.7% international co-authorship rate. Bibliometric analysis was performed using the bibliometrix R package (RStudio 2024.12.1) and the biblioshiny interface. The analysis revealed that the diversity of microbial consortia in Turkish fermented foods contributes to their distinctive characteristics, including enhanced nutritional profiles, probiotic potential, and food safety attributes. Emerging studies employing omics technologies-such as next-generation sequencing, metagenomics, and metabolomics-have expanded our understanding of fermentation ecosystems. Additionally, the growing integration of artificial intelligence supports predictive modeling and process optimization for advanced quality control. This synthesis highlights the significant technological, nutritional, and cultural value of Türkiye's traditional fermented foods. Future directions should include omics-based translational research, indigenous starter culture development, and strengthened international collaborations to support sustainable and competitive functional food innovation.

For production and preservation of traditional fermented foods, the genera, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been used. This study was carried out to determine the characteristics and the antimicrobial activities of lactic acid bacteria isolated from selected Nigerian traditional fermented foods. Changes in pH and titratable acidity (TA) of the samples were investigated for a period of four days (96 h). Eleven tentative LAB from fermented maize and cassava (Ogi and Fufu, respectively) were isolated and characterized. The spoilage organisms from fish were aseptically identified and the antimicrobial activity was determined by agar well diffusion method against three isolated food spoilage organisms (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogene and Bacillus cereus). The isolates were selected and further identified as Lactobacillus amylolyticus strain L6, Lactobacillus plantarum strain ci-4w and Lactobacillus sakei strain MLS1 by the aide of genotypic characteristics (16S rRNA gene sequences). These strains were screened for their EPS producing activity, resistance to low pH and bile salts as well as bacteriocin activity. These strains can be used as starter culture or protective cultures to improve the hygiene, quality and increased safety of the food products by inhibiting the food borne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms. Key words: Lactic acid bacteria, fermented foods, exopolysaccharides, antimicrobial activity, ogi, fufu.

Introduction: Traditional fermented foods play crucial roles in nutrition security and cultural preservation in sub-Saharan Africa, yet their microbial quality and functional properties remain inadequately characterized. This study investigated the microbial diversity, safety parameters, and bioactive compounds of indigenous fermented foods from Kogi State, Nigeria, while evaluating their integration potential into agricultural education curricula. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted across five local government areas in Kogi State from January to December 2024. Traditional fermented foods (n=150 samples) including "ogi," "kunun-zaki," "locust bean cake," "palm wine," and "fermented yam flour" were collected using systematic sampling. Microbial enumeration, identification (16S rRNA sequencing), antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and bioactive compound analysis were performed using standard methods. Agricultural educators (n=200) were surveyed regarding curriculum integration. Results: Total viable counts ranged from 6.2±0.4 to 8.9±0.6 log CFU/mL across food types. Lactobacillus plantarum (32.4%), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (24.8%), and Bacillus subtilis (18.7%) were predominant beneficial microorganisms. Pathogenic bacteria were detected in 12.7% of samples, with Salmonella spp. (4.0%) and Staphylococcus aureus (8.7%) most prevalent. Total phenolic content ranged from 12.4±2.1 to 45.7±5.2 mg GAE/100g, with significant antioxidant activity (IC₅₀: 18.3–67.8 μg/mL). Strong positive correlation existed between phenolic content and antioxidant activity (r=0.78, p<0.001). Agricultural educators demonstrated high interest (87.5%) in incorporating fermented food science into curricula. Conclusion: Traditional fermented foods from Kogi State demonstrate significant potential as functional foods with beneficial microbial profiles and substantial bioactive compounds. However, safety concerns necessitate improved production practices. Integration into agricultural education programs could enhance food security awareness and preserve indigenous knowledge while promoting scientific understanding of fermentation processes. Keywords: traditional fermented foods, microbial quality, functional foods, bioactive compounds, agricultural education, Nigeria, food safety