The interest in fermented foods seems at an all-time high in modern, industrialized societies, while they remain a significant part of the diet in cultures that have remained close to their traditionsl lifestyle. Across industrialized cultures, one frequent question about fermented foods is whether they are safe for consumption by pregnant women and children.

Since ...

Dental caries are present in almost all of us globally. Conventional treatment or prevention strategies are most commonly based on eradication of all, not just cariogenic, oral microorganisms. The biotic approach offers potential for new biological intervention strategies aiming at restoring the natural oral microbiota and maintaining the balance by introducing beneficial bio...

For a long time, the large intestine was seen as little more than a waste-processing unit—an organ that prepared undigested food residues for elimination. We knew microbes lived there, but most of them could not be cultured (that is, grown in a lab), so they remained a mystery. Back then, gut health was judged by simple indicators such as regular bowel movements (anywhere fro...

On November 17–18th 2025, Toronto hosted the inaugural workshop of the Canadian Fermented Foods Initiative (CFFI), a new effort designed to support and advance research, education and innovation on fermented foods in Canada. Co-led by Dr. Jeremy Burton (St. Joseph’s Health Care London – Lawson Research Institute / Western University), Dr. Raylene Reimer (University of Calgary...