Basic Characteristics and Establishment of Fermented Plant Extract (Enzyme Beverage)

Abstract

Fermented plant extract (enzyme beverage) is a general term for beverages made by mixing various kinds of vegetables, fruits, grains, and other ingredients, and fermenting and maturing them with the addition of microorganisms. This beverage is classified as a fermented food, but it is still developing and receives little recognition, very few academic reports having documented its basic characteristics and functionality. It is believed that drinking fermented plant extract provides enzymes derived from the ingredients that can replenish digestive enzymes in the body, although there is insufficient evidence to support this. However, fermented plant extract is rich in functional components either derived from the ingredients themselves or produced by fermentation, which are expected to have great health benefits. Therefore, we have been aiming to ensure that fermented plant extract is properly recognized as a fermented food and have been working to clarify the properties and functionality of the ingredients through industry-academia collaboration with local companies. In this article, we introduce a representative fermented plant extract as an example and detail some recent research trends that are helping to raise awareness.