About this Research Topic
The diverse chemical landscape of fermented foods plays a crucial role in their effects on the gut microbiome and host immunity. Fermented foods can have microbiome-directed and host-directed effects based on their metabolite composition. They influence the gut microbiome by introducing distinct populations of microorganisms that may survive and interact with the existing gut microbiome, producing both short- and long-term impacts.
This Research Topic will investigate and elucidate the mechanisms by which fermented foods interact with the gut microbiome. This involves understanding how microorganisms in fermented foods, along with their metabolites, influence gut microbiome composition and functionality. By exploring these interactions, we aim to uncover potential health benefits, such as enhanced nutrient absorption, improved immune response, and reduced risk of chronic diseases. Additionally, we seek to identify specific pathways through which fermented foods exert their effects, providing insights that could inform dietary recommendations and the development of functional foods targeting gut health. Moreover, this collection will aim to identify specific fermented foods with the most significant positive effects on gut health and to understand the mechanisms behind these effects.
We invite contributions that address themes such as:
• Probiotic effects of microorganisms in fermented foods;
• Production of bioactive peptides and biogenic amines;
• Transformation of phenolic compounds into bioactive substances;
• Impact of fermented foods on gut microbiome composition, metabolic pathways, and host immunity;
We welcome a variety of manuscript types, including Original Research and Review articles which highlight novel mechanisms or hypotheses. Authors are encouraged to provide insights that could contribute to the development of functional foods and dietary strategies aimed at enhancing gut health.
Keywords: probiotics, lactic acid bacteria, Functional foods, Biogenic amines, Health benefits of fermented foods, Fermentation and gut health, Fermented food microbiome, Prebiotics, Postbiotics, Human gut microbiome
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.