Table olives are a traditional fermented vegetable with many centuries of history, particularly in the Mediterranean basin, where this food has had a great influence on the culture and diet of many countries. Moreover, this fermented food is prepared with fruits obtained from cultivated Olea eoropaea subsp. europaea var. europea trees and has been expanded for many countries all over the world. At present, the table olive is one of the major fermented vegetables, with an overall production above 2,500,000 tons/year. Thus, the table olive industry is increasingly demanding new biotechnological approaches, sensory characteristics and differentiation of the products. So scientists have to focus on solving problems and providing new tools in this fermented food process. In recent years, there is an increased interest in different nutritional and microbial aspects related to table olives. During the last five years, new fields have been implemented or developed, such us new probiotic strains to produce an enriched product, study of pathogen survival, NaCl content reduction, microbial resistant to stress conditions, microbial biofilms, predictive microbiology, use of NGS and metagenomics, use of bioactive compounds derived from table olive processing and the treatment of effluents generated during olive processing. The diversity of research displayed in this Research Topic demonstrates the important potential of this product and its impact on the fermented vegetables economy.

For centuries, people around the world have used fermentation to preserve and enhance the flavor of a wide variety of foods. Today, complex interactions of microbiota in the digestive tract are found to influence proper digestion, metabolism, and disease resistance. With greater emphasis on natural products and the role of food in health and wellbeing, food manufacturers are once again turning to fermentation not just for extending shelf life, but to create functional food products that take an active part in maintaining overall health. Featuring five new chapters and updating all data to reflect the latest research findings, Handbook of Fermented Functional Foods, Second Edition examines the health benefits of fermented foods as well as the processes and production techniques involved in manufacturing fermented food products. Maintaining the highest quality information and the easily accessible format of its predecessor, this edition includes new chapters on olives, tempeh, and the traditional fermented foods of China, Thailand, and India. It looks at the history of fermented foods and reveals the specific benefits of fermented milk, Kefir, yogurt, and cheese. Contributions cover fermented soy products, including Natto and Miso, as well as the fermentation of other vegetables such as Korean Kimchi and Doenjang and German sauerkraut. The book also explains the bioactivity and bioavailability of microorganisms and investigates the more recent practice of producing probiotic cultures to add to fermented foods for increased health benefit. Presenting new findings and interpretations that point even more clearly to the important role fermented foods play in our diet and overall health, this second edition demonstrates the current knowledge of fermented food production and reflects the growing credibility of probiotics in health maintenance.

Fermented food can be produced with inexpensive ingredients and simple techniques and makes a significant contribution to the human diet, especially in rural households and village communities worldwide. Progress in the biological and microbiological sciences involved in the manufacture of these foods has led to commercialization and heightened interest among scientists and food processors. Handbook of Plant-Based Fermented Food and Beverage Technology, Second Edition is an up-to-date reference exploring the history, microorganisms, quality assurance, and manufacture of fermented food products derived from plant sources. The book begins by describing fermented food flavors, manufacturing, and biopreservation. It then supplies a detailed exploration of a range of topics, including: Soy beverages and sauce, soymilk, and tofu Fruits and fruit products, including wine, capers, apple cider and juice, mangos, olive fruit, and noni fruits Vegetables and vegetable products, including red beet juice, eggplant, olives, pickles, sauerkraut, and jalapeño peppers Cereals and cereal products, including fermented bread, sourdough bread, rice noodles, boza, Chinese steamed buns, whiskey, and beer Specialty products such as balsamic vinegar, palm wine, cachaça, brick tea, shalgam, coconut milk and oil, coffee, and probiotic nondairy beverages Ingredients such as proteolytic bacteria, enzymes, and probiotics Fermented food products play a critical role in cultural identity, local economy, and gastronomical delight. With contributions from over 60 experts from more than 20 countries, the book is an essential reference distilling the most critical information on this food sector.

Nowadays, most of Western consumers are aware that a targeted diet could be an important tool for fighting ageing and diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Microorganisms may be exploited for setting up novel foods that, beside their nutritional value, may positively impact on consumers’ health. Some microorganisms may benefit host when ingested as viable cells carried by food and beverages. This falls in the intriguing field of probiotics, recently brought forward by the numerous probiotic claims rejected by the European Food Safety Authority. This research topic includes research articles and reviews/perspectives that (i) contribute to understand the mechanism underlying the health effects of probiotic microorganisms; (ii) show integrated approaches for selecting new probiotics; (iii) report about non-dairy food items as novel carriers of probiotics; and (iv) deal with biologically active compounds from microorganisms.

This essential reference emphasizes the molecular and mechanistic aspects of food microbiology in one comprehensive volume. • Addresses the field's major concerns, including spoilage, pathogenic bacteria, mycotoxigenic molds, viruses, prions, parasites, preservation methods, fermentation, beneficial microorganisms, and food safety. • Details the latest scientific knowledge and concerns of food microbiology • Offers a description of the latest and most advanced techniques for detecting, analyzing, tracking, and controlling microbiological hazards in food. • Serves as significant reference book for professionals who conduct research, teach food microbiology courses, analyze food samples, conduct epidemiologic investigations, and craft food safety policies.

Written by experts in the field of table olives, this book is a source of recent research advances on the characterization and processing of table olives. Research papers are provided relating to the characterization of their composition of volatiles and the sensory profile; mineral composition and bioavailability; changes in bioactive components (chlorophylls) by processing; and new strategies to reduce sodium and additives for stabilizing the organoleptic properties and avoiding defects in table olives. Other research papers are included in relation to microbiological and chemical changes in table olives during spontaneous or controlled fermentation employing different cultivars, and the optimized use of starter cultures for the improvement of the different fermentative processes. In addition, this book includes an overview of the main technologies used for olive fermentation, including the role of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts characterizing this process, and of the processing and storage effects on the nutritional and sensory properties of table olives.

The only single-source reference on the science of olives and olive oil nutrition and health benefits Olives and Olive Oil as Functional Foods is the first comprehensive reference on the science of olives and olive oil. While the main focus of the book is on the fruit’s renowned health-sustaining properties, it also provides an in-depth coverage of a wide range of topics of vital concern to producers and researchers, including post-harvest handling, packaging, analysis, sensory evaluation, authentication, waste product utilization, global markets, and much more. People have been cultivating olives for more than six millennia, and olives and olive oil have been celebrated in songs and legends for their life-sustaining properties since antiquity. However, it is only within the last several decades that the unique health benefits of their consumption have become the focus of concerted scientific studies. It is now known that olives and olive oil contain an abundance of phenolic antioxidants, as well as the anti-cancer compounds such as squalene and terpenoids. This centerpiece of the Mediterranean diet has been linked to a greatly reduced risk of heart disease and lowered cancer risk. Bringing together contributions from some of the world’s foremost experts on the subject, this book: Addresses the importance of olives and olive oil for the agricultural economy and the relevance of its bioactive components to human health Explores the role that olive oil plays in reducing oxidative stress in cells-a well-known risk factor in human health Provides important information about new findings on olive oil and lipids which reviews the latest research Explores topics of interest to producers, processors, and researchers, including the fruit’s chemical composition, processing considerations, quality control, safety, traceability, and more Edited by two scientists world-renowned for their pioneering work on olive oil and human health, this book is an indispensable source of timely information and practical insights for agricultural and food scientists, nutritionists, dieticians, physicians, and all those with a professional interest in food, nutrition, and health.