Topic: Immunomodulatory properties of fermented foods via the gut microbiome

In recent years, the interplay between diet, the gut microbiome, and immune function has attracted increasing scientific attention. Among dietary components, fermented foods have emerged as particularly influential in modulating gut microbial communities and shaping host immune responses. This special issue of Microbiome Research Reports will bring together cutting-edge research and reviews exploring how fermented foods, ranging from traditional staples like yogurt, kimchi, and kefir to modern functional formulations, display immunomodulatory effects through microbiome-mediated pathways.

The contributions in this issue aim to highlight advances in identifying microbial strains and metabolites involved in immune regulation, unravelling mechanisms linking gut microbial shifts to systemic and mucosal immunity, and examining translational opportunities for managing inflammation, allergies, and infection. By integrating insights from microbiology, immunology, and nutrition science, this special issue will deepen our understanding of fermented foods, not merely as food practices, but as potential modulators of immune health.

We hope this collection stimulates further interdisciplinary research and informs the development of dietary strategies for personalised and population-level health interventions.

Fermented foods, gut microbiome, immunomodulation, probiotics, microbial metabolites, host-microbiota interactions, mucosal immunity, inflammation, functional foods, microbiome-targeted nutrition