Learning from Tradition: Health-Promoting Potential of Traditional Lactic Acid Fermentation to Drive Innovation in Fermented Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives

Food fermentation using lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is an ancient technique that has been deemed a simple and economical way to modify nutritional contents of plant-based foods. In many cultures, this practice shows long history with wide variety fermented liquid semi-liquid traditional foods being produced from cereals, legumes, tubers. Nutritionally relevant benefits the process are becoming increasingly evident can be linked accumulation bioactive compounds (exopolysaccharides, short-chain fatty acids, peptides), degradation antinutritional factors, improved bioavailability essential nutrients (amino minerals, vitamins). This manuscript discusses current understanding on impact LAB plant macro- micronutrients in traditionally how knowledge could aid drive innovation emerging research development (R&D) sector dairy alternatives. Key-points include health-promoting properties rich sensory appeal found results low slow (prolonged time at suboptimal temperatures), which depends complex interplay mixed microbial cultures such