Microbiology and Biotechnology Research: An Overview Vol. 12

Fermentation is increasingly used to address several limitations that constrain the sensory and nutritional performance of plant-based foods, particularly products rich in cereals, pulses, seeds and their protein-enriched fractions. Yet the literature is often organised around a single commodity or outcome, which can obscure trade-offs between flavour, texture, nutrient quality and digestibility. This critical narrative review integrates evidence across these four interdependent domains and evaluates the conditions under which fermentation is beneficial, neutral or detrimental. Literature published from 2000 to 10 July 2026 was identified through multidisciplinary and food-science-oriented scholarly sources, supplemented by citation searching; earlier foundational work was retained where conceptually necessary. The evidence indicates that microbial acidification, proteolysis, carbohydrate metabolism, exopolysaccharide production, phytase activation and bioconversion of volatile and phenolic compounds can substantially modify plant matrices. Controlled fermentation frequently reduces aldehyde-associated beany or green notes, but strain-specific formation of acids, sulphur compounds or other metabolites can create new sensory defects. Acid-induced network formation and in situ exopolysaccharides can improve viscosity, water binding and bread structure, although excessive proteolysis or acidification may reduce solubility, weaken gels or increase crumb hardness. Reductions in raffinose-family oligosaccharides, trypsin inhibitors, tannins, vicine-convicine and, in some systems, phytate can improve nutritional accessibility, but effects are strongly dependent on substrate, pretreatment and fermentation duration. Evidence for improved protein digestibility is compelling in many in vitro models, while human evidence for enhanced micronutrient status remains much less certain. The most defensible conclusion is therefore not that fermentation intrinsically improves plant-based foods, but that it is a programmable bioprocess whose value depends on matching microbial function to matrix composition and product objectives. Future studies should combine sensory validation, process-resolved metabolomics, realistic digestion models and human outcomes to define reproducible, multi-objective fermentation strategies.