Fermented products and bioactive food compounds as a tool to activate autophagy and promote the maintenance of the intestinal barrier function

Inflammatory diseases are a real scourge of contemporary times. Chronic inflammation is the result of dysbiosis, increased intestinal permeability and activation of the immune system. Its causes are sought in the widespread Western diet, which is claimed to elicit an adverse effect on the microbiota composition and balance in the intestinal ecosystem. Therefore, one of the means to assure good health condition is to maintain the function of the intestinal barrier. Recent reports have indicated the role of fermented foods and bioactive food compounds in shaping microbiota, alleviating inflammation, and restoring homeostasis. Although the human body has developed certain natural mechanisms to ensure body homeostasis, like e.g. autophagy, understanding the role of food in managing this process is a needed line of research. This review article discusses the current knowledge about fermented food and its role in maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier. It emphasizes the role of fermented products and bioactive food compounds in alleviating inflammation and indicates the importance of the autophagy process in maintaining homeostasis in the intestinal epithelium. Finally, it highlights the need for further studies into the role of food in managing processes that affect gut balance. Key findings and conclusions: The presented overview of recent scientific reports indicates the role of fermented products in modulating microbiota composition and of bioactive food ingredients in autophagy activation. However, most of the reported studies were performed in vitro or in a rodent model. Thus, their results should not be extrapolated to humans. Because of the lack of comprehensive studies in this respect, there is a need for further, well-designed research to understand the molecular mechanisms by which food ingredients affect health.