Auchtung Jennifer M, Hallen-Adams Heather E, Hutkins Robert
Department of Food Science and Technology and Nebraska Food for Health Center, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA.
Nat Rev Microbiol. 2025 May 23. doi: 10.1038/s41579-025-01191-w.
Fermented foods and beverages, produced by the intentional growth of microorganisms, have long been among the most widely consumed foods in the human diet. Whether microorganisms are added directly to food substrates, or the growth and activity of autochthonous microorganisms colonizing food substrates is encouraged by selective conditions, the production of organic acids, ethanol and other metabolic end products enhance the safety, shelf-life, sensory and functional properties of foods. Whereas some fermented foods may be produced by communities dominated by only a few taxa of limited phylogenetic diversity, others are produced through the concerted action of diverse microbial communities. In this Review, we describe the ecological interactions shaping microbial community structure and function across various categories of fermented foods by providing specific examples. We also describe how the manufacture, quality and sustainability of even traditional fermented foods can be improved by contemporary technologies. Finally, we briefly discuss current research on the ecological impact of microorganisms found in fermented food on the human gut.
通过微生物的有意培养制成的发酵食品和饮料，长期以来一直是人类饮食中消费最广泛的食品之一。无论是将微生物直接添加到食品基质中，还是通过选择性条件促进定殖在食品基质上的本地微生物的生长和活性，有机酸、乙醇和其他代谢终产物的产生都能提高食品的安全性、保质期、感官特性和功能特性。虽然有些发酵食品可能是由仅由少数有限系统发育多样性分类群主导的群落产生的，但其他发酵食品则是通过多种微生物群落的协同作用产生的。在本综述中，我们通过提供具体实例，描述了塑造各类发酵食品中微生物群落结构和功能的生态相互作用。我们还描述了当代技术如何能够改善甚至传统发酵食品的制造、质量和可持续性。最后，我们简要讨论了当前关于发酵食品中发现的微生物对人类肠道的生态影响的研究。
