A Review of Traditional Fermented Foods: Nutritional Value, Microbial Safety and Industrial Prospects

Traditional fermented foods stand as one of humanity's oldest and most ingenious applications of biotechnology, carrying deep nutritional, cultural, and economic significance across African, Asian, and global food systems. This review examines how fermentation improves nutrient bioavailability — making proteins more digestible, minerals better absorbed, and anti-nutritional factors reduced — while beneficial microorganisms enhance gut health and immune function. It also addresses safety concerns from spontaneous fermentation, modern innovations like defined starter cultures and bacteriocin-producing strains, and the industrial and climate-resilience potential of these foods for small and medium enterprises.