Despite genetic modification concerns for some, precision fermentation technology can be used to create alternative protein products that are more sustainable and can meet the needs of a growing population. There are some precision fermentation applications that are more biochemical in nature.

Instead of genetically modifying microbes to produce a desired outcome, researchers at the Seoul National University of Science and Technology selected for microbes that produced higher levels of GABA in a kombucha. The resulting starter culture (called a SCOBY) was made with yeasts isolated from fruits and homemade wine, lactic acid bacteria from kimchi, and acetic acid bacteria from various other homemade ferments. They tested these selected microorganisms for acid tolerance and GABA production to ensure their suitability for the intended product. They found that the kombucha made with their homemade SCOBY produced 2.2g/L of GABA and had an antioxidant activity that was 1.15x higher than that of the non-fermented tea base.

GABA, or γ-amino butyric acid, is naturally produced in the brain as a neurotransmitter that helps to reduce nerve cell activity. This leads to reduced anxiety, enhanced cognitive function, and improved sleep, to name a few of the benefits. GABA enrichment from fermentation is not new, with many commercial products on the market. However, it’s not well-known whether consuming GABA-rich foods will enhance the GABA in your brain. Many of the products that naturally contain GABA are fermented, and may have precursors to GABA, stimulate its production in the gut, or have microorganisms that can contribute to a healthy gut and thus indirectly influence the amount in your brain. Much is still to be discovered about the gut-brain axis and how we might modify gut microbiota to improve mental health, but to me, this connection is one of the most fascinating interdisciplinary scientific breakthroughs in the modern era.

Precision fermentation applications are far-reaching, and this is an unprecedented time to work in this space. What are some of the fermentation innovations that you most look forward to?

The general population has become more interested in fermented foods due to certain health benefits that research has shown [1,2]. The market for fermented foods keeps expanding. One of these fermented foods is miso, a traditional Japanese paste made from fermented soybeans. Recent research has shown its potential for improvement in gut health and support for the immune system [3,4,5]. 

Microorganisms involved in miso production have been used in studies to determine their probiotic effects. For example, probiotic yeasts isolated from miso have shown evidence in reducing stress-induced gut issues and improving barrier function in mouse models [1]. Some bacterial strains from miso appear to strengthen the body’s immune response by increasing activation marker CD86—an essential molecule on B cells that helps coordinate antibody production [1,3]. Specifically, Tetragenococcus halophilis has been shown to have beneficial compounds that help balance gut flora and promote an anti-inflammatory response [4].  

 These findings show potential for developing standardized miso products with targeted probiotic profiles. By refining salt concentration, fermentation time, and microbial composition, the future of miso could offer benefits to health [2,5]. This would ensure a consistent delivery of the health-promoting compounds in miso. As scientists figure out the microbes within miso, how can producers use this data to design fermented soybean products that promote nutritional and functional benefits?  

A group from the University of Florida has made the news by exploring the effects of microgravity on Saccharomyces fermentation aka space beer. All joking aside, NASA and astronauts aboard the International Space Station have been researching various practical options for fermented foods in space, including the samples of grape juice pictured above. Under their BioNutrient program, NASA has recently trialed fermenting yogurt, kefir, and beta-carotene rich yeast with various levels of success. The goal of most of this research is to provide safe, nutrient-dense food options with a minimal production footprint. MIT and Oxford have also collaborated on experiments first starting with miso fermentation in zero gravity, then moving to work focused on sustainable fermentation within enclosed environments. If their proposals on fermentation chambers prove successful in closed-loop systems, it could provide possible long-term solutions where resources are scarce or nonexistent, like Mars.

Many societies on Earth have some type of local fermented food, but humans have yet to bring this technique to space, the final frontier. Imagine what may emerge as fermented foods make the trip to zero gravity. Noting that NASA was instrumental in the development of HACCP in the 1960s, what do you think are some of the advantages, challenges, and hazards/risks stemming from fermentation in space as humans work to make this science fiction a reality?

In some places where clean water is not available drinking beer can be considered safer than water. When thinking about this it seems very odd because beer is not considered a replacement or healthier option than water. However, fermented foods are considered safe because of their acidic flavors that create an environment that pathogenic microbes do not like. So beer might be safer to drink in areas that do not have clean water.

Fermented foods also have the ability to limit food waste. Spoiled or defective foods can be fermented to create desirable products. Fermentation has the ability to transfer textures and flavors of products. This means that the waste from food can be made into something new that can be consumed. Fermentation also has the ability to preserve foods through the use of lactic acid bacteria. Extending the shelf life will help to reduce the amount of waste as food products will last longer so less product has to be thrown out. In addition to extending the shelf life of product fermented foods also can enhance the nutritional profile which optimizes the most of the resources available.

There are many different ways to use fermentation to reduce food waste from using food scraps to create a new product to infusing food waste. The opportunities that are available from fermented foods are very limited which makes it a create option for addressing food waste.

While meat products are a source of many nutrients in human diets, a recent change in consumption has resulted in an increase of individuals eating plant-based meat alternatives instead [1, 2]. These plant-based meats have been advertised as more ethically and environmentally friendly when compared to their traditional animal-based counterpart [2, 3]. What other fermented foods could be promoted by society and why? When discussing plant-based meats vs. traditional meats, many aspects such as flavor, nutritional composition, and appearance, are vastly different [2, 4]. This difference is important to consider in the production of this plant-based alternative, as researchers found that it proved difficult to replicate characteristics of traditional meats in the plant-based alternative. To resolve this issue, scientists have since determined that fermentation could have a significant impact in plant-based meat production [2]. Members of genera such as Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and Bifidobacterium have been found to vastly improve anti-nutrient properties, allergenic traits as well as additional benefits [5, 6, 7]. Hopefully, this promising discovery will improve and progress this area of food science, as well as add to the list of promising benefits that microorganisms can provide in the realm of food production. Considering the benefits of fermentation in producing plant-based meats, what other foods that do not traditionally involve fermentation do you think could benefit from including it in their production process and why? On a similar note, how does fermentation benefit products that already include fermentation in their production process?

Fisheries support about 3.3 billion people with protein. This makes their industry a key target for sustainable agriculture efforts as the growth of the aquaculture market is expected to surpass poultry in the global protein supply chain by the end of this year. Canada, the EU, the FAO, and New Zealand are just a few of the governments and agencies that have provided guidelines and programs to support the efforts of sustainable farm fishing. Despite this growth support, aquatic farmers are facing challenges with the aquafeed supply and are on the hunt for alternative options.

One way the fishing industry may become more sustainable could be by pivoting away from traditional fishmeal to plant-based options for raising carnivorous fish. The high fiber content and lower digestibility of plant material has restricted its application in fish feed for some time, however, research in Portugal highlights the possibility of using these unconventional ingredients as protein sources after fermentation with the fungus Aspergillus niger. A related fungus, Aspergillus ibericus, has also been studied for its fermentative ability to increase the nutritional quality and subsequent growth performance of sea bass using agro-industrial byproducts. Not all research in this area utilizes fungi- lactic acid bacteria are finding uses in this segment as well by promoting long-term gut health in Salmon with diets containing fermented, cost-effective plant meal.

Achieving sustainable farming is a cross functional effort involving farmers, food processors, researchers, waste management, NGOs, retailers, and consumers. Where else do you see fermentation supporting sustainable food production?

A notable trend in developing fermented food products is using lactic acid fermentation to enhance fruit-based offerings’ nutritional value and sensory attributes. Recent studies have demonstrated how lactic acid bacteria (LAB), including Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus, can significantly alter black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) juice.

This fermentation process improves the phenolic profile by increasing the concentration of bioactive compounds such as cinnamic acid, rutin, and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside and boosts antioxidant activities. Notably, the radical scavenging capacities measured by DPPH and ABTS assays increase following fermentation, indicating a more significant antioxidant potential. Additionally, fermentation effectively reduces undesirable off-flavors while introducing more appealing ethereal notes, enhancing consumer appeal.

Similar fermentation strategies have shown promise in improving the bioaccessibility of fucoxanthin from microalgae, increasing antioxidant capacity in fermented Rosa rugosa, and enhancing the release of phenolic compounds and short-chain fatty acids during the colonic fermentation of seaweeds. These studies show the promising potential impact of fermentation to reveal health-boosting compounds hidden within a variety of food matrices and to improve the utilization of the known ones by the gut. By harnessing this age-old process, we unlock enhanced nutrition and wellness potential, proving that fermentation is still a game-changer in food production and future research.

The implications of this trend are significant. Future research in fermentation science could further explore optimizing strains and fermentation conditions to maximize health benefits. These approaches could also be extended beyond chokeberry juice to other polyphenol-rich fruits, investigating how LAB can be used to personalize bioactive compound profiles aimed at specific health outcomes. This could pave the way for personalized functional beverages that support overall wellness, address particular health conditions, such as metabolic disorders or gut health, and lead to personalized diets for people with specific needs.

With an increase in consumer interest in no-low alcohol beverages, there has been a boon in product availability, with the quality of these new no-low beers improving significantly thanks to commercially available & novel no-low alcohol producing yeast strains. Some of the more well-known species are Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. chevalieri or Zygosaccharomyces lentus, with many others showing promise in producing complexity and desired traits to mimic specific beer styles. Interestingly, other fermented products such as sourdough have promise to be a source of over 50 different yeasts that show potential for no-low alcohol beer production. These specific yeast strains cannot ferment maltose, the primary sugar in wort, which leaves some leftover sugar in the final product despite grain bill adjustments. This means that there are food safety concerns in non-alcohol beer production using these methods, although this can be mitigated by pH adjustments and pasteurization/sterilization.

Alcohol plays a major part in the mouthfeel and overall complexity of beer, as esters, which contribute to the flavor and aroma profile, are produced by alcohol’s reaction with the organic acids that are in the wort. Different esters contribute different fruity flavors to beer and can be manipulated by adjustments to the grain bill and yeast used. Further research is needed to improve the flavor and overall quality of these beers, but the research into and commercial release of these yeast strains mean that the no-low alcohol beer industry is seeing major growth and is here to stay.

What are your thoughts on these products? Do you purchase no-low alcohol beer?

Recent reports from the American Pet Products Association have shown year-over-year double digit growth in the pet food industry. To support an estimated 50% sales increase by 2030, the industry will need to be agile and keep up with demand by adopting new technologies, formulations, and manufacturing strategies. When we talk about fermented foods, we rarely touch on how these products can be destined to help animals, but the rapid growth in this market sector has seen a slew of new research in fermented ingredients for the benefit of our four legged friends around the globe. Here are just a few examples:

• Researchers at Kansas State University have been looking at adding more nutritional value with corn fermented protein as an offshoot of ethanol production in dog and cat feed.
• Canadian researchers at the University of Saskatchewan have demonstrated several positive aspects of fermenting pea starch with Torula yeast including increased palatability over unfermented starch.
• A group from the National Institute of Animal Science in South Korea has looked into fermented oats in combination with other sustainable raw materials with favorable results.

What are your thoughts on using fermented materials or their byproducts in pet food? Does the scoop of kibble you feed your pet already contain fermented ingredients?

Typically, when you think of fermented foods you think of common items such as yogurt, wine, beer or cheese. This fermentation process is used to develop flavor or the functionality of products through microbial anaerobic digestion. There is also precision fermentation which uses microorganisms to product specific functional ingredients. This process is used to ferment rennet for cheese or can be used to make specific proteins. Using precision fermentation food technologists can create dairy free whey protein products.

In early 2024, the company Imagindairy received approval for animal free dairy whey proteins. This allows for development of a broader food ecosystem as proteins can can be developed form microorganisms instead of animal sources. With the development of different proteins through process fermentation greater opportunities can be created for food sources. This process also allows for ingredients to be produced sustainability that can fill functionality roles. This is incredibly important as the demand for dietary protein is expected to increase. Precision fermentation has the opportunity to advance how proteins are developed. However as these proteins continue to be developed there is an opportunity because not all food regulations approve the use of precision fermentation derived ingredients. The products are Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS) which triggers the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide a “No questions” letter, however these proteins are not approved by the European Food Safety Authority. Which argues the question are they safe?