Journal of Nutraceuticals and Food Science

Editorial

Humans have a long history of being a creative species. Curiosity has been a driving force behind human progress as we have witnessed natural processes and happenings. When scientists identified the role of yeast in an alcoholic fermentation in 1837, they realised that microorganisms were involved in food manufacturing processes for the first time. When Louis Pasteur, a world-renowned French chemist and biologist, tried to explain what happened during the 1860s manufacturing of beer and vinegar, he discovered that microbes were to blame. However, it wasn't until after WWII that the food business began to develop the biotechnological techniques that we use today to produce a wide range of better, safer foods in controlled environments.

We've experimented with natural ingredients to come up with a wide variety of foods that we eat today. In the human microbiome, the microbiota plays a crucial role in our health. Diet plays a role in the proper function of this biological system, as do food processing processes. Overly processed foods can have a negative impact on the human microbiome's ability to operate properly. As a result, techniques for improving the health of this system are crucial in food design.

For thousands of years, microbes have been used in the creation of a variety of key foods and beverages that are part of the ordinary human diet. Despite the fact that microorganisms have long been used in the manufacture, preservation, and fermentation of foods, food microbiology does not have a clear beginning. The discipline's evolution has been gradual, based on observation of natural processes and experiments. Microbes have a variety of applications in the food sector nowadays. Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast is used to leaven bread and is also employed in the fermentation of alcoholic beverages. Lactic acid bacteria, for example, are employed in the production of yoghurt, cheese, and pickles. Molds are used in some cheeses (blue cheese, Stilton, Gorgonzola, and so on) to help with ripening and taste. Other applications include the generation of citric acid by fungus, the addition of probiotic supplements to yoghurt and beverages, and the manufacture of vinegar. There are around 3500 traditional fermented foods on the market now. Coffee beans, grains, and tea leaves are fermented after harvest to produce flavour, just like alcoholic beverages. Non-alcoholic beverages such as kombucha and other non-alcoholic beverages are also commonly accessible. The consumption of fermented foods varies depending on where you live. In Africa, dishes fermented from manioc are prevalent, and fermented fish and soy products are enjoyed on a daily basis in Asia.