Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) College of Dentistry Professor Dong-Yeop Kim's research team has proposed a new research perspective that the microbiome of fermented foods can affect human health via the oral–gut axis, drawing attention from the academic community.

JBNU announced that Professor Dong-Yeop Kim, together with an international research team including Professor Hyun Koo and Professor Gary D. Wu of the University of Pennsylvania and Professor Jin-Woo Bae of Kyung Hee University, published a review article titled 'Fermented food microbiome: influence on oral and gut microbiota, and human health' in the world-renowned journal Nature Reviews Microbiology.

The paper proposes a new view that traditional fermented foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut should not be regarded merely as foods but as an "edible microbiome," a complex concept in which living microorganisms, the diverse metabolites they produce, and the food substrates interact.

The researchers particularly noted the possibility that fermented food microbiomes may influence not only the intestinal environment but also the oral microbial ecosystem, and emphasized the need for an integrated approach to understanding this.

The research team clarified that the paper does not imply that any specific fermented food prevents or treats disease. They explained, however, that the significance lies in presenting a new research framework to elucidate how consumption of healthy traditional fermented foods may contribute to maintaining the balance of oral and gut microbial ecosystems.

Professor Dong-Yeop Kim said, "The mouth is an important gateway where food and microorganisms first encounter the human body," and added, "To understand the effects of fermented food microbiomes, approaches are needed that examine changes in oral microbial communities as well as the gut."

He added, "We will continue follow-up studies to more precisely verify how fermented food microbiomes affect oral and systemic health."

Meanwhile, the study is regarded as having established an academic foundation that enables a more refined interpretation of interactions between fermented foods and the human microbial ecosystem. It is expected to serve as an opportunity to broaden future microbiome-based precision nutrition research and studies linking oral and systemic health.

Paper link: https://rdcu.be/fpYjx