Fermented foods: An update on evidence-based health benefits and future perspectives

Abstract

In recent years, an unstoppable trend toward minimally processed foods has increased the popularity of fermented foods as a beneficial nutritional and functional strategy. Within food fermentations, complex microbial communities trigger different biochemical reactions that result in the release of multiple bioactive compounds with beneficial effects on human health. In the present review the latest studies on fermented foods are summarized. Special attention has been paid on the health benefits of main fermented foods available nowadays, the principal bioactive compounds responsible for such properties as well as the future trends of research studies regarding their potentialities. This review emphasizes the need of clinical evidence to ensure that fermented foods may entail a significant improvement on well-being. Fermented foods may represent a non-invasive strategy to face multiple disorders, as hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, oxidative stress and multiple cognitive disordes, among others. Release of bioactive compounds, microbial enzymatic conversions or probiotic activities are the main responsible for such interesting properties. However, the need of well-designed clinical trials is a must in order to obtain conclusive results. Bioavailability and biodisponibility of bioactive compounds as well as the design of precision probiotics are also another focus of interest in which it must be deepen.