JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Fermented foods vary significantly by food substrate and regional consumption patterns. While consumed worldwide, their intaken and potential health benefits remain understudied. Europe, in particular, lacks specific consumption recommendations for most fermented foods.

Objective:

This project, which is under the framework of the PIMENTO COST Action (CA20128), aims to develop a validated tool to quantitatively estimate fermented food intake across 4 European regions.

Methods:

The Fermented Food Frequency Questionnaire (3FQ) was designed to quantify their intake in terms of frequency and quantity. Fermented foods were categorized into broad groups (eg, dairy, plant-based, meat, beverages) based on product classifications, ensuring that the foods included were genuinely fermented through ingredient analysis, using the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus for fermented foods as a guide. For each main fermented foods group, subcategories were included following elaborate discussions of the scientific expert panel and country-specific examples were given; for example, for hard cheeses, Parmigiano was chosen in the Italian version, and Graviera in the Greek. The questionnaire was developed in English (universal version) and then translated into multiple languages using back-translation method. Each version was pilot tested for clarity and data for the prospective validation were gathered. This included two key steps: (1) assessing repeatability by having participants retake the questionnaire after 6 weeks and (2) confirming accuracy by comparing 3FQ results against 24-hour dietary recalls from a subsample of participants. Statistical analyses will be used to confirm agreement between the methods. Representative sample calculations were performed for 4 groups by biological sex and age group (between 18 and 49.9 years and 50 years and above). To ensure representative sample obtainment, participants aged 18+ years were recruited via the internet using multiple strategies, including social media platforms in all countries, snowball sampling, and potential supplementation with panels provided by the survey platform. Prior to all responses, participants were asked to provide informed consent and agree to data collection under ethical guidelines using a General Data Protection Regulation–compliant platform.

Results:

A representative sample of 1536 participants per European region was targeted, ensuring diversity in age and sex, with the goal of achieving a 60% response rate. A multilingual questionnaire was developed and pilot-tested for clarity. The upcoming steps will include final validation for accuracy and repeatability using 24-hour dietary recalls and specific statistical techniques of analysis to ensure reliability.

Conclusions:

The validated online-based 3FQ aims to address current gaps in fermented food intake to help improve future research in this important area.