The Living History Connoisseur—an unexpected consumer of traditional fermented products

Introduction:

Traditional fermented products were once part of the human diet in many cultures worldwide. Industrialisation and the introduction of refrigeration have led to reduced home fermentation practices in the Western world. The prevalence of traditional fermented products in Western diets is currently unknown. Identifying a suitable cohort is challenging and costly. Living History practitioners (LHPs) have expertise and knowledge of historical and traditional practices, including food processing methods such as fermentation, which they may utilise in their daily lives outside re-enactment to incorporate traditional fermented products into their diet. They represent a unique cohort for future studies of the effects of traditional fermented foods on the gut microbiome of populations following a Western diet, as differences in the microbial composition and microbial metabolites in commercial and traditional fermented products may lead to different health outcomes in different populations.

Methods:

The aim of this cross-sectional observational study was to evaluate whether LHPs consume traditional fermented products as part of their diet. A Qualtrics survey was distributed to 311 LHPs and filled out by 77 respondents. The questionnaire included enquiries regarding the frequency of consuming traditional and conventional fermented food, as well as determining the product types that were consumed. Data were analysed using Qualtrics software.

Results:

The results of this study indicate that 69% of LHPs consume traditional fermented products at least occasionally. A total of 68% of participants were female. More middle-aged and older LHPs consume traditional products compared to younger LHPs. The most commonly consumed products were traditional fermented vegetables, traditional fermented grains, fruits, and traditional fermented milk products.

Conclusion:

LHPs are a unique Western cohort for studies of the effects of traditional fermented products on the gut microbiome.