The Beneficial Health Effects of Fermented Foods-Potential Probiotics Around the World

The process of fermentation has been used worldwide as a means of preserving food and increasing its nutritional value. A wide variety of foods are fermented including milks, cereals, vegetables and root crops. Although detailed microbiology has not been done on many of these fermented products, it is evident that a large number of different microorganisms are used. A closer examination shows that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are often used in food fermentation processes. Many LAB are considered as probiotics and are therefore good for health. The lists of fermented foods in this paper may contain probiotic foods that will become important in the future.