Citizen Science Research phase 1 - Wrap-up
Dear HealthFerm Enthusiasts,
We are thrilled to announce that the collection phase of your sourdough samples is officially complete! Thanks to your enthusiastic participation, we’ve gathered an impressive variety of sourdoughs from across Europe, and they are now undergoing thorough scientific analysis.
Our goal? To uncover the unique microbial communities in your samples and determine which microbes can be harnessed for innovative, health-promoting applications. We’re also examining the different chemical compositions to explore whether some sourdoughs might offer added health benefits. Once our analysis is complete, we’ll be excited to share insights about your own sourdoughs!
While our scientists are hard at work in the lab, there’s plenty for you to explore in the meantime. Check out these exciting blog posts:
Preliminary Findings: Curious about what we've discovered so far? Get a sneak peek at the initial results from our sample collection and learn about the next steps in the project.
Behind the Scenes: How We Analyze Your Sourdough! Follow our detailed blog post that explains the step-by-step process of how we extract and study the microorganisms from your samples
Interview with Prof. Armando Perez-Cueto: "Change must be enjoyable and a positive experience." Discover why a shift toward more sustainable diets could be easier and more enjoyable than you think.
Nordic Traditions and Sourdough: Dive into the world of Europe’s traditional rye bakers in the Nordics by reading a special update on the Nordic participants, and see why rye and sourdough make such a perfect pair
When one door closes, the next one opens: even though the sourdough sampling is now over, there are already new opportunities to join in on our mission: With our home fermenter questionnaire, we want to find out what other products Europeans are fermenting at their home.
By gathering data on so-called home-fermenter profiles (attitudes, values, food lifestyle, frequency of consumption of different foods, views on raw materials, fermentation and sustainability), we can create new impulses for the scientific community to advance their research on fermented foods and work towards a healthy dietary transition. The questionnaire takes about 8-10 minutes.
We’re grateful for your continued support and curiosity, and we look forward to sharing more exciting updates from HealthFerm soon.
Warm regards, The HealthFerm Team