Functional Fermented Products
In recent years, functional fermented products have emerged on a large scale worldwide and are expected to expand. Functional fermented products can reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, osteoporosis, cancer, and other diseases. They can also improve the gastrointestinal environment and enhance immunity.
Antioxidant products
The use of antioxidants still tops the list of functional fermented products. In the early years, some antioxidant vitamins and minerals were used more. In recent years, natural antioxidants represented by resveratrol, coenzyme Q10, lycopene, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) have shown good market growth potential.
Functional polysaccharide products
Polysaccharides are energy stores and providers of life activities and one of the material bases of metabolism. Polysaccharides are widely used in food, medicine, cosmetics, textiles, petroleum, and other industries because they can change the liquid flow properties of water and make it gelatinous. The active polysaccharide produced by microbial fermentation has attracted more and more attention due to its excellent characteristics such as safety, non-toxicity, and unique physical and chemical properties. The microorganisms that can produce polysaccharides via fermentation include bacteria and fungi, most of which are produced as the capsule and slime layer of bacteria, and some microorganisms can secrete polysaccharides in the culture medium. Microbial fermented polysaccharides mainly include bacterial polysaccharides and fungal polysaccharides.
Functional sugar alcohols and oligosaccharides
Functional sugar alcohols generally refer to erythritol, xylitol, isomalt, maltitol, mannitol, lactitol, sorbitol, etc. As low-calorie sugars and sweeteners, these sugar alcohols can penetrate cells without insulin after entering the blood. Moreover, they have a fast metabolic rate and will not cause a rise in blood sugar. Therefore, they are the most suitable nutritional sugar substitutes for diabetic patients and can be used to make diet food.
Dietary fiber (DF), known as the seventh nutrient, is a popular ingredient in functional products for hyperlipidemia and overweight people. DF is basically caloric free, but it can promote the reproduction of intestinal beneficial bacteria, inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria, and facilitate intestinal motility and defecation, which is conducive to improving human immunity. However, the advantages of oligosaccharides (such as fructooligosaccharides, xylooligosaccharides, etc.) not only include the function of sugar substitutes -- sugar alcohols (with certain sweetness and properties of certain sugars), but also has the ability of cellulose to promote the propagation of intestinal beneficial bacteria while inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria, which is completely suitable for the needs of people with high blood fat and overweight. In addition, a class of nitrogen-containing oligosaccharides produced by microbial fermentation, as a good glucosidase inhibitor, can slow down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrate substances, and meet the requirements of low-sugar food for obesity and diabetes.
Active peptides and amino acids
Protein enzymatic hydrolysis can produce a variety of bioactive peptides. These peptides can regulate the nervous, hormone, and immune systems as well as help with anti-thrombosis, anti-hypertension, anti-cholesterol, anti-bacterial virus, anti-cancer, and anti-oxidation. Bioactive peptides are also able to improve nitrogen absorption relationship and mineral transport and adjust food flavor, taste, hardness, and others.
It used to be thought that the body absorbed protein mainly through amino acids. However, in recent years, studies have revealed that proteins are mainly absorbed in the form of oligopeptides after enzymatic hydrolysis in the digestive tract, which can be more easily and quickly absorbed and utilized by the small intestine than completely free amino acids. This is an exciting breakthrough in the theory and practice of peptide research. Based on the advantages above, scientists developed a new type of healthcare food namely active peptide food.
Lipid-lowering products
The gamma-linolenic acid of unsaturated fatty acids can be obtained by separating and extracting from Mucor, Rhizopus, Mortierella isabellina, and other molds after fermentation. Arachidonic acid can be separated and extracted from Penicillium and Mortierella after fermentation. In addition, monacolin K contained in Monascus has the effect of lowering serum cholesterol.
Summary
Functional fermented products have become the most dynamic new field of food processing. With the improvement of processing technology, social environment, and market environment, functional products may become the mainstream of the food industry in the 21st century. And fermentation engineering technology shows great significance in this area.
