FERMENTED FOODS: AN ANCIENT

TRADITION MEETS THE MODERN WORLD

Nicole Murphy, Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD)

Kombucha, kimchi, kefir and sourdough. These are some • Tempeh

of the fermented foods forming news headlines and filling
• Kimchi
our social media feeds today.
• Sourdough bread
While the western world has seen a recent surge in • Winea
interest and use of these foods, this ancient practice
has been celebrated by traditional cultures and cuisines Scientifically speaking, fermented foods are made by
around the world for thousands of years. the controlled growth of microorganisms (e.g. bacteria,
yeasts, or fungi), and by converting and changing parts
So what are fermented foods? Does the research align of food through the action of enzymes.
with the proposed benefits? Are they good for us? And
how do we make them? Let’s find out! Microorganisms or enzymes break down components
within food (e.g. sugars) and transform them into other
products (e.g. organic acids, gases or alcohol).

This process turns food into fermented food. It gives

these foods a unique taste, aroma, texture and
appearance, and provides numerous health and culinary
benefits.

Spotlight on Kombucha
The fermented tea beverage kombucha is typically
made using tea, water, a starter culture and a
SCOBY. ‘SCOBY’ stands for ‘symbiotic culture
of bacteria and yeast’. It is a disk-shaped culture
Fermented foods are not new, but their popularity has surged in the
which helps to transform sweet tea into kombucha.
Western world.

What are fermented foods?

Fermentation is an age-old tradition that continues to
have influence today, with fermented foods accounting
for approximately one-third of the global human diet.

Throughout history, nearly every culture on every

continent has made and consumed fermented foods.

You may be familiar with some of the more commonly

known ones:
• Yoghurt
• Cheese Tea being fermented with different flavourings to make Kombucha.

• Kefir
• Kombucha
• Sauerkraut
• Miso

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How does one ferment food? The original fermented foods
There are two main approaches to fermentation: Interestingly, the discovery of fermentation was
1. Wild ferments, also known as spontaneous ferments happening on most continents around the world at a
2. Culture-dependent ferments similar time point in history.

Wild ferments rely on the microorganisms that are In the Neolithic period (which ended around 12,000 years
naturally present in food or the food environment for ago), for example, winemaking was occurring in Asia,
fermentation. Examples include sauerkraut, kimchi, and the Middle East and the Far-East then later spread to
some fermented soy products. Mediterranean regions of Europe. This was similar for
bread, beer and fermented vegetables.
Culture-dependent ferments use starter cultures to
support fermentation. Examples include kefir, kombucha, Other fermented foods were unique to a particular area,
sour dough bread and natto. likely due to the agriculture and produce available in
those locations at the time.
Lots of different foods can be fermented. This includes
animal foods (e.g. dairy, meats, fish) and plant-based
Table 1 lists some fermented foods and their origins.
foods (e.g. vegetables, cereals, bread and soybean).
Plus, a variety of ingredients can be added to alter their
flavour and nutrition content.

This means there are thousands of different versions of

fermented foods.

This diversity is wonderful, but it also brings about

challenges for researchers trying to uncover and report
on the benefits of fermented foods.

Spotlight on Sourdough
Sourdough is made by a culture-dependent
fermenting process called backslopping.
“Backslopping” describes the process of taking
some of an existing fermented batch (like part of an Fresh tempeh at the market, Jakarta, Indonesia. Source: Wikipedia.org.
existing sourdough culture) and using it to create a
new batch. Table 1. Fermented foods and their origins
Name Description Region of origin

Kefir Fermented milk Caucasus

beverage

Sauerkraut Fermented China

cabbage

Tempeh Fermented boiled Indonesia

and dehulled
soybeans

Natto Fermented Japan

soybean

Sourdough Bread from a Middle East

bread longer ferment and Europe

Sourdough bread and starter culture.

Kombucha Fermented tea China
beverage

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 Miso Fermented Japan Fermented food traditions were passed from generation
soybean paste to generation.

Kimchi Fermented Korea Modern technology and other advancements, including

vegetable dish automation, safety and hygiene standards have enabled
the manufacturing and industrialisation of fermented
Source: (Dimidi et al., 2019)
foods.

The introduction of starter culture technology has helped

manufactures to create and distribute fermented foods
on a large scale with greater consistency, safety, and
quality.

Fermented foods manufactured in Australia and

New Zealand today generally use starter cultures to
kickstart the process, whereas traditional cultures and
areas in Asia and Africa continue to rely on traditional
approaches.

Natto, a fermented soy bean often eaten with rice. Source: Wikipedia.
org

Why ferment foods?

Fermentation was likely introduced as a process that
helped to preserve food.

Thousands of years ago, refrigeration and other

processes and technology that we rely on today to help
extend the shelf life of food, had not yet been created.
Over time, awareness of the other benefits of fermented
Jars used for storing Kimchi and other fermented foods in South Korea.
foods emerged.
Source: Wikimedia,org

Since refrigeration, chemical preservatives and industrial

processes were discovered, western societies have What are the benefits of fermented foods?
relied less on fermentation for preservation purposes. Beyond extending food safety and the shelf life of food,
However, this ancient practice has remained an integral fermentation can change the appearance, taste, texture
component of many traditional cultures and cuisines. and function of food. And for some foods like olives,
fermentation enables them to become edible.

Are fermented foods of today the same as Health and wellbeing

those consumed thousands of years ago?
The proposed health benefits of fermented foods are
Over time, fermented foods have evolved. often the reason why people consume them. But what do
we actually know about the health benefits?
In the early days, fermentation was done in small
batches and at a household and community level, using We know that fermented foods and beverages have
wild or spontaneous fermentation or backslopping. been consumed for thousands of years and that some of

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the healthiest communities and cultures around the world A changing microbiome
today continue to consume them.
Most fermented foods introduce new probiotic
microorganisms into the foods we eat – and it’s no small
feat. It’s been estimated that fermented foods contain 1
Spotlight on Kimchi
million to 1 billion microbes per gram.
Kimchi is a symbolic staple of Korean culture.
Research estimates that women born in South A large portion of those microbes likely survive digestion
Korea will likely be the first in the world to reach a and end up in our large intestine – where an ecosystem
life expectancy above 90 years by 2030. of trillions of bacteria, known as our gut microbiome,
reside.
While this doesn’t directly link fermented foods
to an increased life expectancy, it does make
Kimchi is one fermented food that has been shown to
us curious about the role of fermented foods in
change the types of microorganisms that make up our
influencing health and wellbeing.
gut microbiome.

Live bacteria that reach our gut microbiome may not

stay there for long, but they can still provide benefits in
this time. Some live bacteria may exude their benefits by
competing with pathogenic bacteria and by supporting
immune, cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Kimchi is a traditional, fermented food from Korea

Many foods that undergo fermentation, like vegetables,

fruit and wholegrains, contain beneficial nutrients, such
as vitamins, minerals and fibre, in their original forms.
The fermentation process works its magic by changing
and enhancing the original properties of food.
Basic ingredients used to make kimchi: cabbage, radish, carrot, spring
Fermentation offers an opportunity to: onion, garlic, chili powder, fish sauce, and salt. Source: Wikipedia.org.
• create a food source of ‘live’ microbes
• enhance nutrients
• reduce antinutrients in raw foods Fact check: Are fermented foods a probiotic?
• create new properties in food with health There is a common misconception that fermented
promoting benefits foods are the same as probiotics.
• improve the digestibility of food Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms
• enhance food safety and shelf life (bacteria and yeasts) that, in adequate amounts,
confer a health benefit. This means we need
to know exactly what types and amounts of
Despite the many health claims associated with microorganisms are present in the food or product,
fermented foods, only a small number of high-quality and know the benefit they provide, before we
studies have investigated how fermented foods influence call the particular microorganisms or product a
specific health conditions. probiotic.

While there is still much we do not know, let’s take a look

at how fermented foods could be driving health benefits.

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 Probiotic bacteria are naturally present in some
fermented foods and they can be added to a food
or product (e.g. yoghurt). But not all fermented
foods will retain their live or probiotic bacteria.
For example, beer, wine and sourdough undergo
processes that inactivate their live bacteria.
Read on to understand how fermented foods
without live or probiotic bacteria may continue to
provide health benefits.

Beyond bacteria
It’s not just live bacteria in fermented foods that have the
potential to influence health and wellbeing. Kefir grains used to make kefir from milk. Source: Wikimedia.org.

New biologically active properties in food are created

during fermentation. And research is helping to uncover Are fermented foods safe to consume?
how they promote good health. Some nutrients are It might seem counter-intuitive to consume live
enhanced during fermentation, and some aspects of bacteria. But remember, our gastrointestinal tract
foods are broken down, aiding digestion. contains a reservoir of trillions of bacteria (and other
microorganisms) known as the gut microbiome, and
Kefir, a fermented milk drink, has been shown to contain these bacteria play essential roles in keeping us healthy.
more antioxidants and vitamins than plain milk. And
sourdough bread seems to better tolerated by individuals Fermentation has also been used for thousands of years
with irritable bowel syndrome than other types of bread. to help make food safe to consume.

Which fermented foods are the healthiest? Still, experimenting with fermented foods at home
Not all fermented foods have the same known benefits. requires good judgement and an understanding of food
Remember there are different ways to ferment foods and safety, and fermentation methods and equipment. Here
there are thousands of variations. are some resources to help you get you prepped for
making fermented foods at home, safely:
If you’re interested in consuming fermented foods, the • Fermenting food and drink at home: https://
general advice is to slowly introduce small amounts into foodsafety.asn.au/topic/fermenting-food-and-
the meals you are eating over time. drink-at-home/
• Suggestions for making safe fermented foods
Some experts even recommend that fermented at home: https://isappscience.org/suggestions-
foods be included in national dietary advice and making-safe-fermented-foods-home/
recommendations.

Looking for more resources to feed your

fermented food curiosity? Check out:
Spotlight on fermented dairy
• YouTube video: Secrets of Sourdough: Science on
Fermented dairy foods end up containing less the SPOT | KQED https://youtu.be/y5xOpss4j5E
lactose, the sugar found naturally in milk, than their
unfermented milk and yoghurt counterparts. And • YouTube video: What are fermented foods? https://
likely for this reason, Kefir, and yogurt with live isappscience.org/for-consumers/learn/fermented-
cultures, tend to be better tolerated by individuals foods/
with lactose intolerance.

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 References and resources
Student activities Campbell K. Your guide to the difference between
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Sometimes. (b) Why/Why not? Chilton, S. N., Burton, J. P., & Reid, G. (2015).
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nu7010390
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home. Opin Biotechnol.;44:94-102.

6. List three benefits of fermented foods. Dennett C. The facts about fermented foods. Today’s
Dietitian website. https://www.todaysdietitian.com/
7. (a) True or false: fermented foods that have newarchives/0418p24.shtml. Published April, 2018.
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fermentation? Prebiotics and Probiotics website. https://isappscience.
(b) How do they differ? org/for-consumers/learn/fermented-foods/. Accessed
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in? Hutkins R. Fermented foods. International Scientific
Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics website. https://
isappscience.org/fermented-foods/. Accessed June 21,
2020.
Melini, F., Melini, V., Luziatelli, F., Ficca, A. G., &
Ruzzi, M. (2019). Health-Promoting Components
in Fermented Foods: An Up-to-Date Systematic
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Selhub, E,M., Logan, A.C., Bested, A.C. (2014).
Fermented foods, microbiota, and mental health:
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Tamang, J.P., Cotter, P.D., Endo, A., Han, N.S., Kort, R.,
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Compr. Rev. Food Sci. Food Saf. 19, 184–217

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