So much so that fermented foods are now household staples, according to a report last December by Waitrose, which found that sales of kimchi had rocketed by 44 per cent from the previous year.
The foods are often now seen as a key way to increase our 'good' gut bacteria, to improve the health of our microbiome — the community of diverse micro-organisms linked to improved digestion, reduced inflammation and a stronger immune system and mental health.Experts are now warning that some people — especially those with a weakened immune system — should be wary of eating them.
One kimchi product tested contained a strain of Weissella, bacteria that's highly resistant to antibiotics. Serious cases of Weissella infection are linked to endocarditis , osteomyelitis and even death. Most cases occur among people who already have a compromised immune system — for instance, due to chemotherapy.
And researchers noted that those most likely to consume more fermented food — for instance, in a bid to boost gut health following an illness or course of antibiotics, which kill off good and bad bacteria — were precisely the most at risk of ingesting antibiotic-resistant bacteria because their immune defences were low.
'However, specific probiotics can offer targeted benefits such as a reduction in antibiotic-related diarrhoea, tummy pain and bloating related to IBS, as well as an improvement in gas and bowel movement regularity in adults,' she says. Histamine intolerance affects up to 3 per cent of the population. People with the intolerance do not produce enough of the enzymes that naturally digest histamine, resulting in an excess of it circulating in the bloodstream and triggering symptoms.Fermented foods can also lead to painful gas and bloating, adds Dr Mohammed. 'Probiotics secrete small protein molecules that kill harmful gut bacteria and fungi, which results in gas release and bloating,' she explains.
For this reason, people with a weakened immune system, such as those undergoing chemotherapy or organ donor recipients, should avoid eating fermented foods, Dr Mohammed warns. These groups may be more susceptible to getting bugs with side-effects such as diarrhoea, fever and muscle aches.
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