Microbial Diversity and Bioactive Compounds of Traditional Fermented Foods from North-East India: Associations with Gut Microbiota and Metabolic Diseases

Abstract:

Growing evidence underscores the crucial role of the gut microbiota in health and well-being, driving considerable interest in dietary strategies to modulate its composition and function. Diets rich in fermented foods can provide probiotics, prebiotics, and bioactive compounds, that help maintain a balanced gut microbiota and support metabolic health. Northeast India is characterized by a wide diversity of traditional fermented foods and beverages, reflecting the region's cultural and geographic heterogeneity. Bamboo shoots, soybeans, cereals (mainly rice and millets), milk, fish, meat, and locally available fruits and vegetables are commonly fermented and consumed by many ethnic communities in this region. However, limited studies have systematically investigated the effects of fermented food consumption on gut microbiota composition and its association with metabolic diseases. Moreover, preclinical and clinical studies evaluating the efficacy of indigenous fermented foods in the prevention and management of metabolic diseases remain scarce. This review presents a comprehensive summary of microbial diversity and the gut microbiota-modulatory effects of fermented foods and beverages from North-East India. It also highlights the potential antihypertensive effects of traditional fermented foods, mediated through mechanisms such as the production of angiotensin- converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory peptides, improvements in cholesterol metabolism, and modulation of the gut microbiota. Finally, we examine the association between the consumption of fermented foods and beverages and the prevalence of metabolic disorders, particularly type 2 diabetes and hypertension.