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?
Comments
It’s interesting to see more research that covers the probiotic properties of miso, especially in gut health and immune system function. I wonder if there are any more positive effects to fermenting miso, possibly antioxidants or help in lowering blood pressure. Producers could try adjusting fermentation time and temperature, as well as salt concentration, to help to better control the fermentation process. Producers could start and use specific starter strains to tailor the particular benefits they want present; for example, different strains could also be introduced to try and increase the probiotic benefits while still keeping the same taste.
As the market expands and products become more standardized, it is interesting to compare the benefits of different probiotic-rich foods. I have tried looking for a ranking of the best probiotic foods, but there isn’t anything that is set in stone. Because each fermented food has different microbes, I think that having wide range of these foods will provide a complex probiotic profile.
It is also difficult to find a list of the average amounts of microbes in each food, since it can vary so much. Although it may not be possible, given the discrepancy from product to product, it would be interesting to see how commercial fermented foods compare to each other for overall health, considering microbe species and CFU/mL.