New Horizons of Science, Technology and Culture Vol. 3

Traditional fermented foods in West Africa serve not only as dietary staples but also as reservoirs of health-promoting microbes and bioactive herbal components. This review explores the synergistic potential between probiotic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and indigenous herbs in Nigerian fermented foods, such as Fura da Nono and soy Iru. The chapter provides current evidence on the antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and nutraceutical effects of these interactions, while also addressing safety, toxicological considerations, with emphasis on clinical relevance—such as improved glycemic control, enhanced gut barrier function, and support in combating malnutrition and infectious diseases. Safety concerns, challenges in standardisation, and cultural acceptability are also reviewed. Future research should prioritize well-designed clinical trials and scalable production frameworks to advance the use of herb-probiotic systems in public health. It underscores how the combination of herbs and probiotics can be optimized through starter cultures and formulation technologies to combat enteric infections, improve nutrition, and support functional food development. By integrating ethnobotanical traditions with modern microbiological and pharmacological insights, this work aims to advance sustainable, culturally relevant health interventions in Africa.