Research project Food fermentation is a natural process where food components are transformed by yeast, bacteria, and enzymes, promoting gut health. The EU-funded HealthFerm project aims to advance fermentation technology and transition to sustainable, protein-rich, grain-based fermented foods with health benefits. Researchers will explore the link between fermentation, the gut microbiome, and health, identify microorganisms for novel food sources, and assess their impact on gut health.
HealthFerm is a European research project exploring pulse and cereal-based food fermentations, their health effects, and consumer perceptions. While fermented foods are considered healthy, there is limited evidence beyond cultured dairy products. HealthFerm conducts human studies to understand the interaction between fermentation microbiomes, fermented grain-based foods, and the human gut microbiome, and their impact on health. A community-science approach helps design innovative plant-based fermented foods with optimal health benefits.
HealthFerm aims to enable an evidence-based transition in society and industry from traditional to sustainable plant-based fermented foods and diets that deliver health benefits to consumers by design. This will be achieved by disentangling the interaction between food fermentation microbiomes, grain-based foods and the human gut microbiome and health and using microbial resources and fermentation technology to develop healthy pulse and cereal-based food and diets that cater to the desires and needs of EU citizens. Several intervention trials will assess the impact of fermented grain-based foods on human health and the gut microbiome.
To facilitate the inclusion of fermented plant-based foods in the diets of European consumers, the role of social science and humanities (SSH) is crucial and integrated into all parts of the project. Consumer acceptance of fermented foods, their technologies and their role in the transition towards a more sustainable healthy diet will be studied in various social contexts. In this scenario, Umeå University, as part of Work Package 4, will conduct two cross-country surveys to assess consumers' acceptance of fermented and plant-based foods and identify and mitigate barriers to increased consumption of fermented plant-based foods.
