Bioactive Compounds in Fermented Foods : Health Aspects

The volume reviews different types of bioactive components associated with food fermentation and their impact on human health. The diversity of microorganism responsible for the production of different types of fermented foods and beverages includes bacteria, yeasts, and fungi. Biotransformation of food constituent by microorganisms occurs during fermentation processes for the production of fermented food and in the gastrointestinal tract by gut microorganisms. This biotransformation results in production of specific bioactive compounds that are responsible for a wide range of health benefits. The bioactive compounds discussed in this book includes polyphenols, bioactive peptides, fibrinolytic enzymes, gama-amino butyric acids (GABA) exopolysaccharides, probiotic, prebiotic, symbiotic and antinutritional factors. These bioactive compounds are responsible for health benefits such as antioxidant, antihypertension, antimicrobial, cholesterol lowering, anticancer, obesity and antithrombotic properties. Advanced research in the field of food fermentation and their health benefits have resulted in commercialization of some of the fermented foods as functional foods. The traditional fermented foods consumed in different parts of the world and their health benefits are discussed in detail and the book concludes with recent advances in microbial transformation during gut fermentation and their impact on human health. There has been increasing interest among researchers on the proposed title in the last decade and the book brings updated information on research and advances in different types of health benefits exhibited by bioactive compounds in a wide range of fermented foods.