Fermented food — Separating hype from facts

With more time spent at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the clear social media trends is an increase in posts about fermented foods. But among the influencer posts about different flavors of kombucha and how to care for a sourdough starter, there’s relatively little information about the microbes that make it all happen: Which microbes help create fermented foods? And do they provide any scientifically demonstrated health benefits?

The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) and the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) are bringing attention to these microbes in a free webinar on the science and potential health benefits of fermented foods. From leading scientists in the field, participants will learn the scientific language to describe their fermented foods and how particular microbes help create a wide range of foods, from plant-based to dairy-based. The audience will learn about the actual health benefits of fermented foods and how to separate facts from hype.

The webinar features presentations from three leading experts – Dr. Robert Hutkins, University of Nebraska, USA; Dr. Eirini Dimidi, King’s College London, UK; and Anne de la Hunty, British Nutrition Foundation, UK. The webinar goes live on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 from 1-2pm (BST). Registration is required. The webinar will be available on-demand after the event date.

BFN is a registered charity, providing evidence-based resources on food and nutrition to a wide scope of audiences including the general public, media, health professionals, and food companies.

ISAPP is a non-profit organization with a mission to advance the science of probiotics and prebiotics through high-quality scientific information. ISAPP is led by a group of top scientists who make up the board of directors.

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