Revisiting the nutritional advantages of plant-based food matrices: a systematic review on the influence of spontaneous fermentation.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Level 1 by design analogy (systematic review of food science literature, non-clinical)
PubMed 40388320 · doi:10.1080/10408398.2025.2504718
What was done
Authors conducted a systematic review following PRISMA 2020 guidelines to assess the impact of spontaneous fermentation on the nutritional and antinutritional profiles of plant-based staples (cereals, legumes, roots, tubers, and plantain). Databases searched were Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed for peer-reviewed English articles published between 2002 and 2024, resulting in 67 eligible studies after quality assessment.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values or effect sizes. Qualitatively, traditional spontaneous fermentation consistently increased nutrient levels, reduced antinutritional factors, and enhanced nutrient digestibility across the evaluated plant matrices.
Why it matters
This review highlights spontaneous fermentation as an accessible, low-technology processing method that enhances the nutritional quality of dietary staples, particularly relevant in regions with limited food processing infrastructure.
Limits
The abstract reports no quantitative pooled effect sizes, statistical intervals, or specific crop-by-crop metrics. Included evidence evaluates food matrix and biochemical changes rather than human clinical or in vivo health outcomes.
Cited by
- supports Cooking and fermentation reduce anti-nutritional factors in foods such as legumes and grains to harmless levels.