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Scientific Research and Efforts to Enhance the Safety of Fermented...
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Scientific Research and Efforts to Enhance the Safety of Fermented Foods

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Quality and Safety".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 4626

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Chaofan Ji

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China
Interests: food microbiology; fermented food; lactic acid bacteria; biogenic amines; phenols; volatile organic compounds; food authenticity analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fermented foods have a long history and are widely distributed worldwide, including various types of fermented dairy products, fermented fish, fermented meat, and fermented fruits and vegetables.  During fermentation, microorganisms break down large molecules, producing metabolites that impart unique flavours, enhance digestibility and absorption, and can even benefit human health. However, many fermented foods also pose safety risks during production through the presence of food spoilage microorganisms and the production of harmful metabolites that can affect health. Therefore, safety issues related to fermented foods have attracted widespread attention from researchers. This Special Issue will collect reviews, opinion articles, and original research articles in the following areas:

  1. Detection and control of microbial contaminants in fermentation processes;
  2. Reduction of toxic or harmful metabolites by fermenting microorganisms;
  3. Regulatory considerations and standards for fermented food safety;
  4. Food safety challenges in traditional and artisanal fermentation.

We warmly welcome submissions. We hope that our Special Issue can offer new perspectives and contribute to food safety production.

Dr. Chaofan Ji
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fermented food
  • microbial contamination
  • harmful metabolites
  • starter cultures
  • HACCP

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 2900 KiB  
Article
Optimization of the Cryoprotectants for Direct Vat Set Starters in Sichuan Paocai Using Response Surface Methodology
by Lianqun Wu, Zhenying Yang, Ying Zhang, Ling Li, Chunli Tan, Lixia Pan, Yanping Wu, Kai Zhong and Hong Gao
Foods 2025, 14(2), 157; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14020157 - 7 Jan 2025
Viewed by 822
Abstract
The quality of Sichuan paocai in natural fermentation is often inconsistent due to the complexity of its microbial community and environmental influences. To address this, dominant microbial strains were selectively inoculated to improve the product’s quality and safety. However, vacuum freeze-drying, commonly used [...] Read more.
The quality of Sichuan paocai in natural fermentation is often inconsistent due to the complexity of its microbial community and environmental influences. To address this, dominant microbial strains were selectively inoculated to improve the product’s quality and safety. However, vacuum freeze-drying, commonly used to prepare direct vat set (DVS) starters, can significantly damage strains due to freezing stress. This study aimed to optimize a freeze-drying protection system for Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Bacillus subtilis to enhance their survival. Using response surface methodology, combinations of cryoprotectants were evaluated. A formulation comprising skim milk powder, glycerol, sucrose, and L-proline significantly improved strain viability after lyophilization, outperforming single cryoprotectants. Further investigation into storage conditions revealed that low temperatures (−20 °C) provided the best preservation for DVS starters. Furthermore, the optimized DVS starters demonstrated excellent fermentation performance in Sichuan paocai, enhancing its color, flavor, and sensory quality compared to natural fermentation. These findings offer a reliable freeze-drying protection strategy for survival and viability of L. plantarum and B. subtilis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Scientific Research and Efforts to Enhance the Safety of Fermented Foods)
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14 pages, 11598 KiB  
Article
Impact of Enzyme–Microbe Combined Fermentation on the Safety and Quality of Soy Paste Fermented with Grass Carp By-Products
by Jing Yang, Zihan Li, Xinping Lin, Sufang Zhang and Chaofan Ji
Foods 2025, 14(1), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14010106 - 2 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1042
Abstract
Freshwater fish processing produces 30–70% nutrient-rich by-products, often discarded or undervalued. Grass carp by-products, rich in protein, offer potential as raw materials for fermented seasonings. This study explores the use of these by-products—specifically, minced fish and fish skin—in soybean fermentation to evaluate their [...] Read more.
Freshwater fish processing produces 30–70% nutrient-rich by-products, often discarded or undervalued. Grass carp by-products, rich in protein, offer potential as raw materials for fermented seasonings. This study explores the use of these by-products—specifically, minced fish and fish skin—in soybean fermentation to evaluate their effects on the quality of the resulting seasonings. Tetragenococcus halophilus was used as a starter culture alongside food-grade protease to assess their combined impact on the safety and flavor of soy fish paste and soy fish skin paste. The findings revealed that natural fermentation resulted in higher protein hydrolysis in soy fish skin paste compared to soy fish paste. Across all fermentation conditions, amino acid nitrogen levels increased, while total volatile basic nitrogen levels decreased in both pastes, indicating improved quality. Additionally, microbial fermentation significantly reduced biogenic amine content in soy fish paste, enhancing safety. Enzymatic fermentation further enriched the flavor of both pastes by boosting key compounds such as 2-methylbutanal and ethyl acetate. Notably, enzyme-microbe co-fermentation harnessed the strengths of both methods, achieving improved safety and enhanced flavor profiles while elevating overall product quality. These findings suggest a promising way to transform freshwater fish by-products into high-value condiments, advancing sustainable food processing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Scientific Research and Efforts to Enhance the Safety of Fermented Foods)
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Review

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17 pages, 1630 KiB  
Review
Recent Applications and Prospects of Enzymes in Quality and Safety Control of Fermented Foods
by Yiwei Dai, Yingxi Chen, Xinping Lin and Sufang Zhang
Foods 2024, 13(23), 3804; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13233804 - 26 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2243
Abstract
Fermented foods have gained global attention for their unique flavor and immense health benefits. These flavor compounds and nutrients result from the metabolic activities of microorganism during fermentation. However, some unpleasant sensory characteristics and biohazard substances could also be generated in fermentation process. [...] Read more.
Fermented foods have gained global attention for their unique flavor and immense health benefits. These flavor compounds and nutrients result from the metabolic activities of microorganism during fermentation. However, some unpleasant sensory characteristics and biohazard substances could also be generated in fermentation process. These quality and safety issues in fermented foods could be addressed by endogenous enzymes. In this review, the applications of enzymes in quality control of fermented foods, including texture improvement, appearance stability, aroma enhancement, and debittering, are discussed. Furthermore, the enzymes employed in eliminating biohazard compounds such as ethyl carbamate, biogenic amines, and nitrites, formed during fermentation, are reviewed. Advanced biological methods used for enhancing the enzymatic activity and stability are also summarized. This review focused on the applications and future prospects of enzymes in the improvement quality and safety qualities of fermented foods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Scientific Research and Efforts to Enhance the Safety of Fermented Foods)
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