by Theodoros Varzakas (Guest Editor)
Fermented foods are consumed all over the world and their consumption shows an
increasing trend. They play many roles, from preservation to food security, improved
nutrition and social well-being. Different microorganisms are involved in the
fermentation process and the diversity of the microbiome is high.
Fermented foods are food substrates that are invaded or overgrown by edible
microorganisms whose enzymes hydrolyze polysaccharides, proteins and lipids to
nontoxic products with flavors, aromas, and textures that are pleasant and attractive to
the human consumer. Fermentation plays different roles in food processing, including
the development of a wide diversity of flavors, aromas, and textures in food, lactic acid,
alcoholic, acetic acid, alkaline and high salt fermentations for food preservation
purposes, biological enrichment of food substrates with vitamins, protein, essential
amino acids, and essential fatty acids and detoxification during food fermentation
processing.