Research Information System
8. BİLSEL INTERNATIONAL TRUVA SCIENTIFIC RESEARCHES and INNOVATION CONGRESS, Çanakkale, Turkey, 27 December 2025 - 29 January 2026, pp.636-650, (Full Text)
Fermented vegetables were originally developed for food preservation. However today they are considered important functional foods due to their microbial diversity, variety of bioactive compounds, and numerous positive effects on human health. The fermentation process, which is carried out by lactic acid bacteria, results in the production of organic acids, various phenolic compounds, bacteriocins, GABA, SCFA, and various vitamins. These compounds provide antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties to fermented vegetable products. Traditional fermented products such as kimchi, sauerkraut, pao cai, traditional pickles, turnip juice, beet kvass and sauerkraut juice stand out for their potential to regulate the gut microbiota, strengthen the immune system, improve metabolic processes and provide protection against pathogenicmicroorganisms. The aim of this work is to scientifically characterize fermented vegetables as functional foods by evaluating their microbial composition, bioactive compounds, antimicrobial mechanisms and contributions to human health in the light of current research. Understanding the multifaceted effects of fermented vegetables in reducing disease risks provides a foundation for more controlled production processes, the use of standardized starter cultures and the expansion of clinical trials in the future. Therefore, investigating fermented vegetables as potential functional foods is a promising area of research for the advancement of both food technologies and public health.