Dr Manal Mohammed, a Senior Lecturer at the University Westminster in Medical Microbiology and Course Leader of Medical Sciences BSc Honours, has recently spoken to the Scottish Daily Mail on fermented products and the hidden truth behind them. She talks about how these trendy health foods could make people seriously ill.
The article talks about the process of fermentation and the modern spike in sales of fermented foods such as kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut and more due to recent studies displaying their health benefits. Despite these studies, the article also addresses the adverse health effects of fermented foods, especially on those with a weakened immune system.
Hua Wang at Ohio State University in the United States has been working extensively for more than 20 years with manufacturers of fermented products like cheese mongers. For her latest research she and her colleagues examined four artisan cheeses bought from local and national retail stores as well as Japanese or Korean restaurants within the state. They also examined ten varieties of kimchi that had not previously been checked for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It was discovered that all four cheeses and nine kimchi products contained germs resistant to antibiotics. These bacteria can cause complex and serious problems like deadly sepsis if they enter the bloodstream through gastrointestinal tract issues. They can also cause gut-related symptoms like vomiting and diarrhoea. One kimchi product contained a strain of Weissella, which has cases linked to heart and bone infections.
Dr Mohammed said: “Some strains of Weissella have been linked to bacterial resistance to many antibiotics.”
She added that “it is very alarming that probiotic strains in fermented food can carry antibiotic-resistant genes which may pass to other bacteria found in the food chain and/or the bacteria found in the gastrointestinal tract which will confer resistance to antibiotics used to treat serious infections. Moreover, they could worsen the crisis of antibiotic resistance and help in the spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment.”
Dr Manal Mohammed also mentioned: “Probiotics secrete small protein molecules that kill harmful gas bacteria and fungi, which results in painful gas and bloating. While most fermented foods are safe, they can get contaminated with disease-causing bacteria, which can lead to an outbreak of salmonella poisoning, for instance.”
Due to this she recommends that “those with a weakened immune system, such as organ donor recipients or those undergoing chemotherapy, should avoid consuming fermented foods.”
She concluded: “Fermented foods are safe and healthy, but moderation is key. Antibiotic resistance is one of the global public health threats. If no action is taken it is estimated that antimicrobial resistance could cause ten million deaths each year by 2050.”
Dr Manal Mohammed teaches Microbiology, Medical Microbiology and Microbial Genomics across a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate modules such as Medical Sciences BSc Honours, Biomedical Science BSc Honours and Applied Biomedical Science BSc Honours, all of which are available in this year’s Clearing at the University of Westminster. Her research interests focus on developing bacteriophage therapy as an alternative to antibiotics for the treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. She uses a novel system to understand the dynamics of bacteria-bacteriophage interaction, aiming to develop safe and effective bacteriophage therapy.
Dr Mohammed’s contributions and findings in the article directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Wellbeing. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Read the full article on the Mail Online and read Dr Mohammed’s recent publications on her Westminster Research webpage.
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