Yoghurt, coffee and chocolate have something in common, and researchers mapped it across Europe

By Tarun Sai LomteReviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc.Oct 18 2026

From yoghurt and sourdough to coffee and chocolate, a survey spanning 53 European countries examines which fermented foods people consume and how much they actually eat.

Study: Mapping fermented food prevalence and intake across European regions: results from the Promoting Innovation of Fermented Foods (PIMENTO) study. Image Credit: Tolmachov Vision / Shutterstock

In a recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that fermented dairy products were widely consumed across Europe, while other fermented foods differed considerably in popularity and quantities consumed.

Fermented foods have been central to traditional diets for centuries, and public health and scientific interest in them has substantially increased in recent years. These foods, produced by microbial metabolic activity, can increase nutrient bioavailability, while their potential benefits for metabolic, mental, and gut health remain under investigation.

Fermented food traditions vary widely across Europe in preparation methods, product types, portion sizes, and intake frequency. The study also classified coffee, chocolate, and fermented cereals as fermented foods because fermentation contributes to their production, though the finished products do not necessarily contain live microorganisms.

Fermented foods are widespread in Europe, but comprehensive data on their consumption patterns are scarce. Previous studies have focused on specific food types or consumption patterns in individual countries, limiting assessment of broader demographic influences and trends. In addition, the lack of standardized definitions and regulatory approaches complicates consumer transparency and research reproducibility.

About the study

In the present study, the researchers characterized fermented food consumption patterns across Europe. The study analyzed cross-sectional survey data from adults across four EuroVoc regions, collected online between October 2023 and May 2024. Participants completed the fermented food frequency questionnaire (3FQ), reporting the quantity and frequency of their fermented food intake.

The 3FQ encompassed a wide range of food categories, including 15 primary food groups. It also incorporated validated food images, allowing respondents to estimate their usual portion sizes using photographs. The 3FQ also collected demographic and anthropometric data. The researchers adjusted the sample using Eurostat population data to weight responses by age, sex, and region, while recruitment relied on convenience and snowball sampling.

Findings

The study included 12,646 participants from 53 countries, with 2,315, 5,185, 2,577, and 2,569 subjects from Northern, Central-Eastern, Western, and Southern Europe, respectively. Most respondents were female across regions. Participants' median age ranged between 38 and 45 years. Western Europe had the highest proportion of respondents with no chronic condition (74%), while Northern Europe had the lowest (58%).

Northern Europe also had a higher proportion of respondents with at least two chronic conditions (13.6%) compared to other regions (5.8%–8.6%). Among respondents, Western Europe had the lowest obesity rate (7.8%), while Northern Europe had the highest (18.2%). The proportion reporting fermented food consumption differed significantly by region for 14 of the 15 food groups.

Only fermented dairy products showed no significant regional variation in consumer prevalence and were widely consumed in all regions. Between 94.1% and 95.6% of respondents reported consuming them, with median intake ranging from 66.7 to 80.1 g/day among consumers. The quantities consumed still differed by region. The team identified three tiers of consumer prevalence: high (≥75%), moderate (50%–75%), and low (<50%). The high-prevalence tier included chocolate, fermented dairy products, fermented vegetables, fermented cereals, and coffee in all four regions.

Reported consumption of fermented legumes and pulses, fermented fish or meat products, wine, vinegar, and beer varied considerably, with several categories reaching high prevalence in individual regions. Categories with generally lower reported prevalence included plant-based dairy or meat alternatives, fermented non-alcoholic beverages, fermented tea, and cocoa beverages, with pronounced regional variation. Plant-based alternatives reached 72.8% prevalence in Western Europe, while strong spirits ranged from 35.1% to 53.6% across regions.

Consumers in all four regions had moderate intake, defined as 51–100 g/day for fermented dairy and 51–100 ml/day for coffee. Fermented vegetables had some of the lowest intakes, ranging from 4.4 g to 8.4 g daily. Plant-based dairy or meat alternatives had low weekly intake, with a non-zero median recorded in Western Europe only (25.5 g/week). Fermented fish or meat products and fermented legumes and pulses also had low weekly intakes at 5.6–23.5 g and 4.5–9 g, respectively.

Consumer prevalence and intake varied across food groups. For instance, while fermented dairy products were widely consumed in moderate quantities, plant-based alternatives were commonly reported in Western Europe but consumed in small amounts. By contrast, fewer participants reported fermented non-alcoholic beverages, but median intake among consumers was 18.7–49.8 ml/week, and fermented tea intake varied considerably across regions. Sensitivity analyses excluding respondents with food science or nutrition backgrounds retained most regional differences.

Conclusions

Fermented food consumption varied significantly across European regions. Consumer prevalence and intake varied independently, suggesting that both metrics provide complementary information for characterizing population exposure to fermented foods and are needed for future nutritional epidemiology.

Self-reported intake, non-random recruitment, and uncertainty about which products underwent genuine fermentation limit interpretation. The study did not assess health benefits or measure live microorganisms in foods at consumption.

These findings suggest that region-specific, rather than pan-European, dietary guidance may be more appropriate, pending further research on fermented food intake and health outcomes.