GENERAL INSIGHTS INTO FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LACTIC FERMENTATION

A MINIREVIEW

Abstract

Fermentation, besides being a preservation method and of major economic importance, could also reflect a growing focus on the environment. It offers solutions to reduce waste by producing novel types of protein, lipids, and carbohydrates, and to increase global food production. This mini-review aims to address specific issues related to the lactic fermentation of fruits and vegetables, as well as the nutritional and health benefits of their consumption. The industrial revolution in fermentation should
include an emerging understanding of the synergies between microorganisms throughout their life cycle. Fermented fruits and vegetables are a natural source of probiotics and bio-preservatives, making them valuable to the food industry for supporting human health. Moreover, modern fermentation technology involves processes designed to produce specific compounds using selected microbial strains, which generate useful metabolites (such as lactic acid, bacteriocins, etc.). However, further paraclinical and clinical studies are still necessary to evaluate the in vivo effects of consuming fermented fruits and vegetables.