- Fermented dairy products are consumed by more than 94% of Europeans and show the highest levels of habitual intake
- Coffee and fermented cereals are the next most widely consumed fermented categories across Europe
- Plant-based fermented alternatives have relatively high consumer awareness but remain low-volume for purchases
- Regional preferences vary significantly for fermented vegetables, meat products, alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic beverages
- Findings highlight opportunities for brands to tailor fermented food innovation to local tastes and consumption habits
A large new study in the British Journal of Nutrition has mapped fermented food and drink prevalence and intake across European regions, looking at categories such as dairy, plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, chocolate and non-alcoholic beverages.
It looked at 12,646 adults across 53 countries in four regions (Northern, Southern, Western and Central-Eastern Europe). Intake across 15 fermented food categories was estimated from frequency and portion-size data. It did this using a Fermented Food Frequency Questionnaire, developed by the authors to categorise and define fermented foods.
Revealing some products to be much more prevalent and accepted than others, the data can help food and beverage manufacturers understand region-specific preferences and markets that have yet to be tapped.
Fermented foods have been around for centuries, points out the study, but they have “attracted renewed scientific and public health interest due to their potential nutritional and health benefits”.
These benefits are “attributed to functional compounds produced during microbial fermentation, such as organic acids, bioactive peptides, bacteriocins, exopolysaccharides, amino acid derivatives and vitamins”, say the study authors.
And the list of benefits is extensive: “These foods… can enhance nutrient bioavailability, support gut and metabolic health and mental health. Emerging evidence also suggests that fermented foods may contribute to gut microbiome diversity, immune modulation and metabolic regulation, although mechanistic insights and clinical validation remain limited.”
Fermented dairy is a hit
The categories studied were plant-based meat and/or dairy alternatives; fermented dairy products; fermented pulses and legumes; fermented meat and/or fish products; fermented vegetable products; fermented cereal products; chocolate; fermented non-alcoholic beverage products; vinegar; coffee; fermented tea; cocoa beverages; beer or cider; wine and strong spirits.
A major finding was that fermented dairy products, such as fermented yogurt, milk and cheese, are hugely popular and were the most widely consumed. They had near-universal prevalence (94.1% to 95.6%) and an intake of 66.7g to 80.1g/day. It was the only category that showed no regional variation.
“Near-universal consumer prevalence of fermented dairy, combined with moderate intake, suggests habitual consumption in small, regular portions, consistent with dairy’s integration into daily European meals,” conclude the authors.
They add that “labelling information, particularly sugar or sweetener type, protein source and lactose-related claims, could play a key role in shaping consumer acceptance of fermented dairy products”, so F&B should take note.
Coffee scored well for both prevalence and intake. (Tom Werner/Image: Getty/Tom Werner)Fermented cereals and coffee are runners up
The next highest categories for both prevalence and intake were coffee and fermented cereals (consumed by 78.4% to 84.1% and 89.9% to 95.9%, respectively). Coffee had moderate intake across all regions, as did cereals in Northern, Southern and Western Europe.
Chocolate was consumed weekly by over 90% of participants, and showed the highest intake among consumers, with Western and Central-Eastern Europe reaching 138.8g/week compared with 76g/week in Northern Europe. Cocoa beverage consumption was consistent across regions.
In contrast, fermented vegetables and legumes exhibited low intakes. As for regional spread, they were highly consumed only in Western Europe (80.5%) but moderately in other regions (59.4% to 67.6%).
A moderate intake and disparities between regions were seen for fermented meat/fish products. They showed a moderate prevalence in Southern Europe (62.5%), but were higher in the other regions, ranging from 75.5% in Western Europe to 83.2% in Central and Eastern Europe.
Several food groups demonstrated high consumer prevalence but low relative intake, most notably plant-based alternatives. This is worth noting for manufacturers. Consumers are accepting of them but aren’t eating them in large volumes. They were consumed by up to 72.8% in Western Europe, but intake was negligible.
The contrast between dairy (high prevalence and moderate intake) and plant-based alternatives (high prevalence but minimal intake) among consumers in Western Europe, “likely reflects occasional or trial-based consumption rather than dietary integration, possibly due to documented sensory barriers and the relatively nascent market position of these products”, say the authors.
Fermented non-alcoholic beverages had low prevalence but relatively high weekly intake among consumers. The prevalence was lowest in Southern Europe. Wine intake was highest in Western Europe, double that of Central and Eastern Europe.
Key takeaways
For food and beverage manufacturers, the conclusion is key: “These findings align with recent evidence that consumer perception and preference for fermented foods are driven by intrinsic product characteristics, alongside biological, psychological, situational and sociocultural factors”. Understanding these is a path to opportunity.
The study suggests that future mapping like this could also investigate the effects of fermented foods on the microbiome of local populations, furthering our understanding of their beneficial effects and aiding region-specific dietary guidance to help increase their intake.