Journal of Food Processing & Technology

Consumption of fermented beverages and their influences on health and disease

4^th International Conference and Exhibition on Food Processing & Technology

August 10-12, 2015 London, UK

Sharon Ross

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Food Process Technol

Abstract:

Fermented foods and beverages are part of the traditional and economic fabric of many cultures, with the fermentation
process imparting texture and flavor, providing nutritional value and other bioactive components and influencing food
safety. The type of microorganisms used in a fermentation process influence the outcome of the fermented product. Yeasts
produce ethanol as the main fermentation product, and the main fermentation product of lactic acid bacteria is lactic acid.
Fermentation by yeast is primarily an anaerobic process converting sugars, such as glucose, to other compounds like ethanol,
while producing energy for the microorganism. Fermented beverages include those that utilize grains (beer, rice wine, maizebased
beverages), fruit (wine), tea (kombucha), and milk products (fermented mare’s milk, kefir). This talk will focus on the
yeast fermented beverages wine and beer, including their processing, composition and consumption, as well as biological roles
in health and disease. The consumption of wine and beer has been associated with both healthy and harmful effects. Studies
concerning the “French paradox” and adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern suggest benefit from consuming wine.
Wine has a complex composition, depending on whether it is red or white as well as the variety of grape used in fermentation.
Interestingly, it has recently been speculated that grape-derived microbiota may influence wine quality or terroir. Alcohol and
phenolic compounds, i.e., resveratrol, have been associated with health effects of wine consumption, including cardiovascular
disease risk reduction. Evidence also suggests that yeast fermentation of grapes and the resulting alcohol contribute to the
increased bioavailability of resveratrol compared to the same amount of resveratrol from grape juice. Beer is rich in nutrient as
well as non-nutrient components, including carbohydrates, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and phenolic compounds. Beer
and wine both contain phenolic compounds, but the specific phenolic compounds are different because the barley and hops
used in the production of beer contain phenolic compounds different from those in grapes used in the production of wine.
For example, Xanthohumol, the most abundant flavonoid in hops, is used as a preservative and to add bitterness and flavor to
beer. Xanthohumol has several putative biological properties, including anti-inflammatory and oxidative stress modulation.
Evidence to support the health benefits of moderate consumption (defined as 1 alcohol drink per day for women and 2 drinks
per day for men) of either wine or beer or wine over beer has not been conclusive. Food scientists are currently employing
techniques to increase the production of phenolic compounds during beverage fermentation, while nutrition scientists are
describing the potential biological effects from consumption of beer and wine.

Biography :

Sharon Ross is a Program Director in the Nutritional Science Research Group, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of
Health. Prior to joining the NCI, she worked at the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration. She has a PhD in Nutritional
Sciences from the University of Maryland, College Park and a Masters of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health with an emphasis
in Epidemiology.