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A first-of-its-kind Canadian network, launched this week in London, Ontario, aims to help Canadians better understand the health benefits of fermented foods and even make them part of daily diets, hospital nutrition and national dietary guidelines.
The Canadian Fermented Foods Initiative (CFFI) officially launched Monday with the participation of researchers and industry experts from across Canada and Europe. The project brings together scientists, chefs, health professionals and food producers to share research, recipes and scientific expertise in the field of fermented foods.
Fermented foods such as sourdough bread, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir and kombucha have been part of the world's culinary traditions for centuries. But researchers say modern science is starting to catch up with what has long been practiced in many cultures.
“Large population studies show that people who eat fermented foods are healthier overall, have fewer digestive problems and a lower risk of chronic disease,” said Jeremy Burton, director of one of Canada's largest microbiome programs and interim vice-president of research at St. Joseph's Health Care London and Lawson Research Institute.
London morning7:27Do you want to improve your gut health?
A new Canadian initiative, the first of its kind in North America, is helping people understand the health benefits of fermented foods. Jeremy Burton, interim vice president of research at London's St Joseph's Health and Lawson Research Institute, told London Morning how they are studying foods such as sourdough bread, sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha to understand their health benefits.
Burton told London morning Host Andrew Brown said the goal is simple: to get more Canadians to eat, cook and understand fermented foods.
“We want to see more fermented foods in hospitals, we want to include fermented foods in dietary guidelines, and we want to bring science to these fermented foods,” he said.
Burton said compounds formed during fermentation, or “enzyme drugs,” may help reduce cancer risk and improve cardiometabolic health, but the science isn't sure yet.
“There’s a lot we don’t know yet,” Burton said. “Microbes transform basic foods into entirely new products, and these new products can provide health benefits. But we need to do more on this.”
Part of the initiative includes making fermentation at home more accessible. London chef, secondary school teacher and Certified Food Preserver Connor Flynn worked with Burton to create step-by-step guides to fermented foods.
“Fermentation of food is an old practice that has never gone out of style,” Flynn said in a press release. “It just went out of fashion in North America for a while, but it’s coming back.”
Flynn also created training videos for pickling sauerkraut, beetroot, cabbage and pickles.
Burton said future research will look at how increasing the consumption of fermented foods can improve the health of Canadians, support sustainability and reduce food waste.
More information about the project, including recipes, can be found on the website fermentedfoods.ca.
