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New Frontiers in Fermented Products – 2nd Edition

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2024 | Viewed by 4711

Special Issue Editors

Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, Department of Excellence 2018–2022, University of Calabria, Edificio Polifunzionale, 87036 Rende, CS, Italy
Interests: antioxidant capacities; glucans; pectins; seed oils; citrus essential oils; fatty acids; fermented products; kefir Kombucha
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Rende, Italy
Interests: antioxidant capacities; glucans; pectins; fermented products; kefir Kombucha

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fermented foods and beverages represent the first processed food products consumed by humans.

They are produced through the metabolic activity of microorganisms through two main methods including “wild or spontaneous fermentation” due to microorganisms that are naturally present in the raw food matrices or processing environment, such as kimchi, and some fermented soy products, and “culture-dependent fermentation” performed via the addition of starter cultures, such as kefir and kombucha. There are several variables in the fermentation process including the microorganisms, the nutritional ingredients and the environmental conditions, leading to different products.

Fermentation generates antimicrobial end-products, such as organic acids, ethanol, and bacteriocins that may reduce risk of contamination improving the shelf life of the products and conferring new and desirable organoleptic characteristics completely unlike from the starting material ones. Fermented foods are increasingly studied for their properties that reach well-beyond preservation and sensory attributes.

Advantages of fermentation are the reduction of possible toxins and anti-nutrients, and the content of fermentable carbohydrates increasing the tolerance of the products in patients with bowel disorders, and also the microbial conversion of raw matrix compounds to biologically active metabolites exerting beneficial effects on human health.

The main objective of this Special Issue is to highlight the traditional and innovative technologies involved in the production of fermented foods and beverages.  It may include original research articles and reviews studying the aspects of fermentation processes, microbiological, technological and sensory aspects, shelf life and health benefits of fermented products.

Dr. Alessia Fazio
Dr. Chiara La Torre
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • application of microorganisms to the production of fermented food
  • traditional and innovative technologies of fermentation
  • natural health benefits of fermented foods
  • homemade and industrial fermented products
  • identification and production of novel starter cultures of commercial interest.
  • microbial biotransformation and production of active metabolites
  • mechanisms of action of fermented food on the microbiota

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 3062 KiB  
Article
Application of Cyclocarya paliurus–Kiwifruit Composite Fermented to Enhance Antioxidant Capacity, Flavor, and Sensory Characteristics of Kiwi Wine
by Jing Liu, Weiliang Guan, Zhidong Sun, Yunfan Ni, Long He, Fang Tian and Luyun Cai
Molecules 2024, 29(1), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29010032 - 20 Dec 2023
Viewed by 616
Abstract
A new fermentation method for kiwi wine was explored by developing the well-known medicinal and edible plant Cyclocarya paliurus (C. paliurus) to create more value with undersized kiwifruits. In this study, the changes in bioactive substances during the C. paliurus–kiwi [...] Read more.
A new fermentation method for kiwi wine was explored by developing the well-known medicinal and edible plant Cyclocarya paliurus (C. paliurus) to create more value with undersized kiwifruits. In this study, the changes in bioactive substances during the C. paliurus–kiwi winemaking process were analyzed on the basis of response surface optimization results, and the antioxidant capacity, aromatic compounds, and sensory quality of the C. paliurus–kiwi composite wine with kiwi wine and two commercial kiwi wines were compared. The results showed that DPPH radical, OH radical, and ABTS+ scavenging rates remained at over 60.0%, 90.0%, and 70.0% in C. paliurus–kiwi wine, respectively. The total flavonoid content (TFC) and total polyphenol content (TPC) of C. paliurus–kiwi wine were significantly higher than those of the other three kiwi wines. C. paliurus–kiwi wine received the highest score and detected 43 volatile compounds. Ethyl hexanoate, which showed stronger fruity and sweet aromas, was one of the main aroma components of C. paliurus–kiwi wine and different from commercial wines. This wine has a good flavor with a natural and quality feeling of C. paliurus–kiwifruit extract, low-cost processing, and great market potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Fermented Products – 2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 1764 KiB  
Article
Sweet Wine Production from the Side-Stream of Industrial Corinthian Currant Processing: Product Quality, Antioxidant Capacity, and Volatilome
by Iris Plioni, Eleni Michalopoulou, Athanasios Mallouchos, Stavros Plessas, Gerasimos Gotis and Argyro Bekatorou
Molecules 2023, 28(14), 5458; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28145458 - 17 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1568
Abstract
In the frame of efforts to add value to the Mediterranean currant cultivation and processing sectors, which is essential for their sustainability, sweet wine production is proposed from the finishing side-stream (FSS) of premium quality Corinthian currants, involving complete fermentation using an alcohol-tolerant [...] Read more.
In the frame of efforts to add value to the Mediterranean currant cultivation and processing sectors, which is essential for their sustainability, sweet wine production is proposed from the finishing side-stream (FSS) of premium quality Corinthian currants, involving complete fermentation using an alcohol-tolerant yeast followed by (i) the addition of FSS to extract sugars or (ii) syrup made from FSS to adjust sweetness. Wine was also made by (iii) ceasing fermentation at the desired sugar level by ethanol addition. The non-fortified wines had 15.2–15.5% ethanol, 115–145 g/L residual sugar, 7.2–7.6 g/L titratable acidity, low volatile acidity (VA; <0.33 g/L), 280–330 mg/L phenolic content (TPC) (as gallic acid), and 23.8–35.6 mg/L antioxidant capacity (AC) (as ascorbic acid). In total, 160 volatiles were identified by SPME GC-MS, including compounds derived from the grapes, the raisin drying, and the fermentation process. The non-fortified wines had better characteristics (mainly VA, AC, and TPC) than the fortified wine, while sweetness adjustment by FSS is the simplest and lowest cost method since it does not involve ethanol or syrup addition. The proposed methods can lead to good quality sweet wines with a characteristic fruity (grape/raisin) flavor that could be commercialized as specialty raisin beverages or liqueurs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Fermented Products – 2nd Edition)
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24 pages, 5715 KiB  
Article
Effect of Storage Time and Bacterial Strain on the Quality of Probiotic Goat’s Milk Using Different Types and Doses of Collagens
by Kamil Szopa, Małgorzata Pawlos and Agata Znamirowska-Piotrowska
Molecules 2023, 28(2), 657; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28020657 - 09 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1567
Abstract
Recently, increasing attention has been focused on developing new products based on goat’s milk. Consumers positively perceive fermented goat’s milk products as health-promoting due to their nutritional value, digestibility, and potential source of probiotics. This study aimed to evaluate the possibility of using [...] Read more.
Recently, increasing attention has been focused on developing new products based on goat’s milk. Consumers positively perceive fermented goat’s milk products as health-promoting due to their nutritional value, digestibility, and potential source of probiotics. This study aimed to evaluate the possibility of using different doses of collagen and collagen hydrolysate in the production of probiotic goat’s milk fermented by four monocultures: Lacticaseibacillus casei 431® Lactobacillus acidophilus LA- 5®, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei LP26, and Lacticaseibicillus rhamnosus Lr- 32®. A total of 20 experimental groups were prepared, including control groups (without additives), and due to the added probiotic (Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus), various collagen doses (1.5% and 3.0%) and collagen types (hydrolysate and bovine collagen). Physicochemical, organoleptic, and microbiological characteristics were evaluated after 1 and 21 days of cold storage. The applied additives increased the acidity of the milk even before fermentation. However, milk with bovine collagen and hydrolysate had a higher pH value after fermentation than control milk. The study showed higher than 8 log cfu g−1 viability of probiotic bacteria in goat’s milk products during storage due to the proper pH, high buffering capacity, and rich nutrient content of goat’s milk. The best survival rate was shown for the L. casei strain after 21 days in milk with collagen protein hydrolysate. Moreover, collagen in milk fermented by L. rhamnosus decreased syneresis compared to its control counterpart. The addition of collagen, especially the hydrolysate, increased the gel hardness of the fermented milk. The collagen additives used in the milk, both in the form of hydrolysate and bovine collagen, caused a darkening of the color of the milk and increased the intensity of the milky-creamy and sweet taste. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Fermented Products – 2nd Edition)
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Review

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38 pages, 6811 KiB  
Review
Two-Phase Fermentation Systems for Microbial Production of Plant-Derived Terpenes
by Tuo Li, Ximeng Liu, Haoyu Xiang, Hehua Zhu, Xuan Lu and Baomin Feng
Molecules 2024, 29(5), 1127; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29051127 - 02 Mar 2024
Viewed by 523
Abstract
Microbial cell factories, renowned for their economic and environmental benefits, have emerged as a key trend in academic and industrial areas, particularly in the fermentation of natural compounds. Among these, plant-derived terpenes stand out as a significant class of bioactive natural products. The [...] Read more.
Microbial cell factories, renowned for their economic and environmental benefits, have emerged as a key trend in academic and industrial areas, particularly in the fermentation of natural compounds. Among these, plant-derived terpenes stand out as a significant class of bioactive natural products. The large-scale production of such terpenes, exemplified by artemisinic acid—a crucial precursor to artemisinin—is now feasible through microbial cell factories. In the fermentation of terpenes, two-phase fermentation technology has been widely applied due to its unique advantages. It facilitates in situ product extraction or adsorption, effectively mitigating the detrimental impact of product accumulation on microbial cells, thereby significantly bolstering the efficiency of microbial production of plant-derived terpenes. This paper reviews the latest developments in two-phase fermentation system applications, focusing on microbial fermentation of plant-derived terpenes. It also discusses the mechanisms influencing microbial biosynthesis of terpenes. Moreover, we introduce some new two-phase fermentation techniques, currently unexplored in terpene fermentation, with the aim of providing more thoughts and explorations on the future applications of two-phase fermentation technology. Lastly, we discuss several challenges in the industrial application of two-phase fermentation systems, especially in downstream processing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Fermented Products – 2nd Edition)
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