Fermentation of legumes as a strategy to enhance nutritional and sensory properties and modulate gut microbiome and human health

Legumes represent a valuable and vegetable source of proteins and fiber with a very low environmental footprint production, therefore, both dietary guidelines and international agencies suggest increasing their production and consumption. Despite their favorable nutritional composition, they also naturally contain antinutritional factors such as phytic acid, that limit the absorption of micronutrients. This, coupled with the lower bioavailability of proteins as compared with meat, diminishes the biological and economic value of legumes. However, recent studies have shed a light on the power of fermentation to improve the protein profile of pulse and neutralize antinutritional compounds. In this review, we explore the benefits of legumes fermentation in depth, focusing on the role of microorganisms in enhancing the nutritional and sensory enhancement of legumes. Furthermore, we describe the properties and the microorganisms involved in the production of several craft-based fermented legumes typically consumed by non-Westernized populations, particularly delving into their effects on the gut microbiome and on the human health.