LWV24120 Ferment4Health – Supporting gut health and preventing low-grade inflammation with fermented foods and postbiotics (TS-02-218-017)

In recent times, fermented food products have regained attention for their potential benefits on gut health, the gut microbiome, and overall well-being. Traditionally, most fermented foods in the Netherlands are cheese and 
yoghurt. In the change towards plant-forward healthy diets, fermentation of plant-based foods and food ingredient are gaining interest. These foods contain various constituents, and the fermentation process leads to a complex mixture of probiotics, postbiotics, and other active components, each with unique properties that may influence the gut epithelial lining and the gut microbiota. Postbiotics, considered a novel aspect in managing gut and immune health, are inanimate microorganisms and/or their components and/or metabolites that conferhealth benefits to the host. While probiotic beneficial bacteria and their mechanisms have been extensively researched, the health effects of their by-products or inanimate components and structures, the postbiotics, 
remain relatively unexplored. Postbiotics are believed to operate through protective modulation against pathogens, enhancement of the gut's epithelial barrier, activating host antimicrobial peptides, immune training and the modulation of inflammatory and immune responses. Consequently, fermented foods and postbiotics present a promising approach for preventing or treating sub-health conditions, including compromised intestinal integrity and defence, immunosuppression and low-grade inflammation (LGI). Therefore, the objective of the proposed project is to investigate the potential effects of fermented foods and their postbiotic ingredients and other bioactive compounds, as well as their analogues, on gut health, the local and systemic immune system, and LGI in humans. This research combines a human study to study the health impact of postbiotic with mechanistic in vitro assays to unravel the mode of action of postbiotics on gut and immune health, and to identify opportunities to further optimise the foods for positive health impact. 
The project has a pre-competitive nature and by applying complementing research methodologies, the project aims to generate new scientific insights to understand the health impact of fermented foods and to guide the 
development of sustainable and healthy food products and ingredients by the food industry with gut health and immune benefits.