Research Information System
XXIII European Conference on Food Chemistry, Bratislava, Slovakia, 11 - 13 June 2025, pp.66-68, (Full Text)
Fermented foods are an integral part of the European diet and offer significant nutritional, cultural and sustainability benefits. These foods, whose health benefits are increasingly recognized, contain live microorganisms, bioactive compounds and essential nutrients. As biodiversity declines globally, diversity in the diet is associated with better health outcomes, highlighting the need to maintain and improve food sources rich in beneficial microorganisms. Furthermore, the transition to a more sustainable diet is in line with consumer demand for natural, healthier and affordable products — an area where fermented foods can play a crucial role. Despite the growing scientific interest, a comprehensive assessment of the health benefits and risks of fermented foods is lacking. The COST Action CA20128 “Promoting Innovation of Fermented Foods” (PIMENTO) addresses this gap by systematically reviewing the available evidence on the effects of fermented foods in key health areas such as cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neurological, immune and skeletal systems. The initiative also examines the production of bioactive compounds, bioavailability, food safety, regulatory aspects and the health potential of novel and ethnic fermented foods. Following the guidelines of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for the assessment of health claims, PIMENTO takes an innovative approach combining systematic human studies with food characterization and mechanistic insights. The results will be summarized in a strategic roadmap that will identify research gaps and guide future studies in food fermentation and nutritional science. Beyond fermented foods, the methodologies developed by PIMENTO could serve as a model for assessing the health effects of different food categories, contributing to a more evidence-based approach in nutrition research.