Citizen Science for Microbial Discovery
Citizen science has been at the heart of HealthFerm’s mission to better understand the diversity, health potential and cultural importance of plant-based fermented foods. Through a participatory research approach, HealthFerm created a unique European network of researchers, home fermenters, artisan producers and food professionals, enabling citizens to actively contribute to cutting-edge food and microbiome research.
A central focus of the initiative was the large-scale sourdough citizen science project. Following a series of co-design workshops across Europe, participants helped shape research questions, shared their fermentation experiences and contributed sourdough samples for scientific analysis. This collaborative process ensured that citizen interests and practical knowledge were integrated directly into the research agenda.
The response from the community exceeded expectations. Hundreds of sourdough enthusiasts from across Europe joined the project, creating one of the largest collections of citizen-contributed sourdough samples gathered for microbiome research. The project ultimately gathered around 680 sourdough samples and built a vibrant community of participants eager to contribute to scientific discovery.
Beyond sample collection, HealthFerm maintained an ongoing dialogue with participants through regular blog updates, educational content and insights into laboratory analyses. Citizens were able to follow the scientific journey of their samples, learn about fermentation microbiology and contribute to discussions on the future of healthy and sustainable fermented foods.
The citizen science activities generated valuable data on sourdough biodiversity and fermentation practices while demonstrating the power of co-creation in food research. The approach has been recognised at European level, receiving an Honorary Mention in the EU Prize for Citizen Science for its innovative engagement of citizens in microbiome research and its contribution to advancing food, health and sustainability research.
Through HealthFerm, citizen scientists became active partners in generating new knowledge on fermented foods, helping bridge the gap between scientific research and everyday food practices across Europe.
