The rising demand for sustainable, nutritious, and ethical food solutions has positioned plant-based fermented foods at the forefront of global food innovation.

Next-Gen Plant-Based Fermented Foods: Innovations for a Sustainable Future explores the latest advancements, technologies, and scientific breakthroughs in fermentation, offering insights into how next-generation plant-based foods can advance the food industry. The book delves into cutting-edge research, novel fermentation processes, and biotechnological innovations that enhance the taste, texture, nutritional profile, and functional properties of plant-based fermented products. It also highlights the role of microbial biotechnology, precision fermentation, and synthetic biology in developing sustainable alternatives to conventional dairy and meat-based fermented foods.

Additionally, the book addresses consumer trends, regulatory challenges, and market opportunities, making it a valuable resource for food scientists, researchers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, and students in the fields of food biotechnology, microbiology, and sustainable food systems. By integrating traditional fermentation knowledge with modern scientific innovations, this book bridges the gap between research and industry, paving the way for a healthier and more sustainable future in food production.

Dr. Sunny Dhiman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biotechnology at Chandigarh University, India. He has been actively involved in research, teaching, and scientific writing in the field of biotechnology for over 15 years. With more than a decade of experience in academic teaching and research, Dr. Dhiman has made significant contributions to several reputed international journals, including Food Production, Processing and Nutrition, International Microbiology, Journal of Food Process Engineering, Biologia, Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research, Sustainable Food Technology, Mycology, Fermentation, Discover Sustainability, Indian Journal of Microbiology, 3 Biotech, and Folia Microbiologica, among others. His research interests span diverse areas such as microbial fermentation, sustainable food technology, waste valorization and circular economy. He has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed research articles, edited six books with international publishers, and published two patents. Currently, Dr. Dhiman’s research focuses on microbial metabolic capabilities for waste valorization, functional food development, and the purification, optimization and application studies of microbial enzymes. In addition to his research activities, he actively serves as a guest editor and reviewer for several international journals. Dr. Dhiman has supervised several undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation projects and is currently guiding two doctoral researchers. He is also a member of several scientific and professional societies, including the Microbiologists Society of India, the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), IAENG, and IFERP.

Dr. Sukhminderjit Kaur is a Professor in the Department of Biotechnology at Chandigarh University, Mohali, Punjab, India. She has more than 26 years of experience in academic and research. Her research mainly focuses on applied microbiology, biofertilizers, probiotics and bioremediation. She has published more than 64 research and review articles in high-impact journals and has contributed over 32 book chapters with leading publishers, including Springer Nature, CRC Press, and Elsevier. She has edited  four books with Springer Nature and has authored one book published by CABI-Concise. Her research innovations have also led to two granted patents on biofertilizer formulations and one published patent. She has guided 5 PhD. students and three students are pursuing doctorate under her mentorship. She is a member of many scientific societies including Indian Science Congress, Indian Association of Microbiologists with an objective to contribute at advancing microbial applications for environment and agricultural sustainability. She also serves as an Editor for Scientific Reports and as Guest Editor of a special issue in Discover Sustainability.