21.04.2024HealthFerm – The Sourdough Microbiome

Sourdough bakers and fermentation enthusiasts take note - HealthFerm is researching plant-based and fermented foods that thrive and are consumed in your homes. Particularly, individuals and their sourdough from Central and Eastern Switzerland, as well as from the Canton of Jura, are being sought. Do you live in this region or do you know someone? Your sourdough is needed!

HealthFerm asks project participants to provide information about their fermentation practices and their attitude towards fermented foods through two questionnaires. Based on this feedback, 1,000 participants will be selected to submit their fermented foods for analysis, with a focus initially on sourdough. The results from the lab will then be made available. For example, you can learn how many cultures are thriving in your sourdough and how frequently they occur!

Simply visit this website available in 7 languages.

What's it about?
Fermented foods are present in both our daily diet and in various food cultures: from sourdough bread to beer, wine, pickles, sauerkraut, miso, kombucha, and much more. The art of fermentation is (re)emerging, and many people are making their own fermented foods at home. Can fermentation help us transition to a more plant-based diet? The European research project HealthFerm aims to investigate the connections between the microorganisms involved in food fermentation, the resulting fermented foods, and their impact on human health.

What happens next?
The data on microorganisms, genomes, and metabolic products discovered in the fermented foods of participating citizens will be available in a freely accessible online atlas of the food microbiome. There, participants can evaluate and compare the microorganisms from their fermented foods.
The microorganisms obtained from the submitted foods will also be used to develop innovative fermentations of legumes and grain-based foods. The focus is on developing fermented foods as alternatives to milk- and meat-based foods.
Furthermore, the health effects and consumer perception of novel fermented foods will be investigated. This is intended to facilitate the incorporation of these foods into common dietary habits in Europe. The establishment and maintenance of an ecosystem with different interest groups and researchers should help achieve a lasting impact beyond the project.

For those who wish to stay informed without participating, regular reading of the HealthFerm blog is recommended.

Alessandro Rearte