Biotechnological Modulation of Legumes via Fermentation: Impacts on Nutrient Bioaccessibility, Glycemic Index, and Antinutrients-A Scoping Review.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Scoping review summarizing laboratory and mechanistic food-science studies without direct clinical trial synthesis
PubMed 42511230 · doi:10.3390/foods15142483
What was done
This scoping review synthesized analytical and mechanistic evidence on targeted fermentative bioprocessing of legumes. It evaluated how microbial activity, process moisture, pH adjustments, and thermal pretreatments alter the legume microstructural matrix, antinutritional factors, mineral bioaccessibility, and starch fractions.
What was found
Fermentative processing promoted a 90% to 100% degradation and elimination of phytates and condensed tannins, eliminated non-digestible galacto-oligosaccharides, and inactivated trypsin inhibitors. These mechanisms doubled the bioaccessibility of iron, zinc, and calcium in digestive aqueous phases. Microbial beta-glucosidase bioconverted conjugated glycosides into free aglycones. Furthermore, induced molecular retrogradation increased resistant starch fractions, reducing the hydrolysis index and lowering the predictive glycemic index.
Why it matters
Fermentation provides an effective processing strategy to overcome natural antinutritional barriers in legumes and improve mineral bioaccessibility. These findings help guide the formulation of biofortified, more digestible plant-based foods and beverages.
Limits
The abstract does not state the number of reviewed studies, search strategies, or selection criteria. Reported outcomes rely on in vitro bioaccessibility assays and predictive glycemic index estimates rather than human in vivo clinical trials. Specific quantitative responses across different legume varieties and microbial strains are not detailed in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Cooking and fermentation reduce anti-nutritional factors in foods such as legumes and grains to harmless levels.