Why Do People Eat Fermented Foods in Europe?

People in Europe have been eating fermented foods for a long time. These foods are made by letting bacteria or yeast grow on them. This process can change the taste and make the food last longer. Some examples of fermented foods are yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi.

Researching Fermented Food Consumption

Researchers wanted to know how often people in Europe eat these foods. They made a plan to create a special online questionnaire. This questionnaire is called the Fermented Foods Frequency Questionnaire, or 3FQ for short. The goal was to find out how much fermented food people eat in different parts of Europe.

Designing the Questionnaire

The researchers thought about how to make the questionnaire easy to use. They wanted to make sure it was accurate and reliable. This way, they could get good information about people's eating habits.

Health Benefits of Fermented Foods

Fermented foods are not just tasty; they can also be good for your health. They can help your gut stay healthy and might even boost your immune system. But not everyone eats them the same way. Some people eat them every day, while others rarely do.

Understanding Consumption Patterns

The researchers wanted to understand these differences. They thought that knowing more about how often people eat fermented foods could help improve health. It could also help people make better choices about what they eat.

Testing and Expansion

The plan was to test the questionnaire with a group of people first. This would help make sure it worked well. After that, they planned to use it with more people across Europe. This way, they could get a big picture of how fermented foods are eaten in different places.