Imperial Lates: Future Food

The Section of Nutrition's recent public engagement event, hosted at Imperial Lates on November 9th, was a resounding success. The workshop, dedicated to discovering how short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and their production through the fermentation of fibers in the gut, have an important role to general health, drew an enthusiastic participation from the public. Through an engaging sauerkraut-making session, more than 120 attendees eagerly rolled up their sleeves, creating their own batches of this delicious, fermented food. The workshop not only shed light on the positive impact of fermented foods on SCFA production and supporting a healthy gut microbiome, but also offered hands-on experience, allowing participants to savour the journey of crafting a healthy product to take home.

Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing newfound enthusiasm for incorporating fermented foods into their daily lives and several finding out how these are linked to SCFA and to diverse health benefits. As we reflect on this successful evening of education and engagement, we eagerly anticipate future opportunities to share the fascinating science of nutrition with the broader community.

In the spirit of exploration and well-being, we extend our deepest gratitude to Claire Heal, a fermentarian chef, who generously shared her secrets to creating the best sauerkraut during the evening, and other fermented foods such as kimchi and kefir to try at home.

We also extend our appreciation to the members of Jia Li’s research group—Alexandra Deutsch, Naomi Yang, Yang Bi, Kaoutar Abaakil, Liang Lyu, Xuan Yang, and Lamia Aboelnasr (Surgery and Cancer)—whose active participation contributed to the triumph of our Imperial Lates event. Thank you to everyone from the Public Engagement Team and volunteers who made this event a remarkable success!

Written by Maria Valdivia-Garcia, PhD