DOMINO: Advancing Food Microbiome Science Across Europe

Published: Nov 19, 2024 by FME Lab

The DOMINO project is at the forefront of connecting microbiome science, food systems, and health in Europe. Recent activities highlight how DOMINO is driving innovation and fostering collaboration:

Living Labs: At a Brussels event hosted by Ferments du Futur and partners, DOMINO showcased how Living Labs bring together researchers, producers, regulators, and consumers. These labs explore fermented foods like legumes in France and water kefir in Ireland, uncovering knowledge gaps and emphasizing the importance of consumer feedback in food innovation.

Stakeholder Forum: DOMINO launched its Stakeholder Forum with a webinar by Dr. Magali Cordaillat-Simmons, focusing on regulatory science for microbiomes. This platform ensures DOMINO’s research aligns with societal needs, promoting open dialogue on fermented foods and microbiome advances.

DOMINO is animating food microbiome science by combining interdisciplinary research, consumer engagement, and cross-sector collaboration, driving Europe toward healthier, more sustainable food systems.

The FME lab communicates about the links between the microbiome, nutrition and health.

On Thursday 27 November, the FME lab took part in the Food System Microbiomes Conference in Wageningen during the session dedicated to the connections between microbiomes, nutrition and health. The session was co-chaired by Stéphane Chaillou (INRAE, Micalis) and Prof. Christophe Courtin (KU Leuven), and provided an opportunity to showcase advances from two major European projects: DOMINO and HealthFerm.

Understanding How Fermented Foods Shape Health Insights From a New PIMENTO Review

A new scoping review published in Frontiers in Nutrition¹ as part of the COST Action PIMENTO initiative provides a comprehensive assessment of what is currently known about the health effects of fermented foods in specific human populations. This work reflects a substantial collective effort. We conducted an extensive and rigorous screening of the scientific literature, reviewing and selecting studies across many categories of fermented foods and health outcomes.

Humblot Christèle, Alvanoudi Panagiota, Alves Emilia, Assunçao Ricardo, Belovic Miona, Bulmus-Tuccar Tugce, Chassard Christophe, Derrien Muriel, Karagöz Mustafa Fevzi, Karakaya Sibel, Laranjo Marta, Mantzouridou Fani Th, Rosado Catarina, Pracer Smilja, Saar Helen, Tap Julien, Treven Primož, Vergères Guy, Pertziger Eugenia, Savary-Auzeloux Isabelle, A scoping review of the health effects of fermented foods in specific human populations and their potential role in precision nutrition: current knowledge and gaps. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2025 doi:10.3389/fnut.2025.1650633 ↩

New tool suite - Food Microbiome Metabolic Modules (F3M)

The FME team has published a new preprint in Open Research Europe entitled
“Food Microbiome Metabolic Modules (F3M): a tool suite for functional profiling of food microbiomes.”
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