Researchers are creating a new online questionnaire to measure how much fermented food people eat across Europe. Fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, and cheese are eaten differently in different countries, but we don’t have a good way to track how much people consume. This study describes how scientists designed and tested a questionnaire called the 3FQ that asks people about their fermented food intake. The tool was customized for different European regions and languages, so it can accurately capture what people actually eat. This questionnaire will help researchers better understand fermented food consumption patterns and study their potential health benefits across Europe.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Creating and testing a new online survey that asks people how often they eat fermented foods and how much they eat
  • Who participated: Adults aged 18 and older from four different European regions, recruited online through social media and survey panels, with a target of 1,536 people per region
  • Key finding: Researchers successfully designed a customized questionnaire that accounts for regional differences in fermented food choices (like using Parmigiano cheese in Italy versus Graviera in Greece) and can be used across multiple languages
  • What it means for you: This tool will help scientists better understand fermented food eating patterns in Europe, which could eventually lead to better health recommendations. However, this study is about creating the measurement tool itself, not yet about health benefits

The Research Details

This is a protocol study, meaning the researchers are describing their plan for creating and testing a new measurement tool. They designed a questionnaire called the 3FQ (Fermented Foods Frequency Questionnaire) to ask people about their fermented food intake. The questionnaire was organized into groups like dairy fermented foods, plant-based fermented foods, meat products, and beverages. Each group had subcategories with specific examples chosen by experts to match what people actually eat in different European countries.

The questionnaire was first written in English, then translated into multiple languages using a back-translation method (where someone translates it back to English to check accuracy). Before using it in the main study, they tested it with a small group to make sure the questions were clear and easy to understand.

To validate the tool, the researchers plan to use two main approaches: first, they’ll ask people to fill out the questionnaire twice, six weeks apart, to see if they give similar answers both times; second, they’ll compare the questionnaire results with detailed 24-hour dietary recalls (where people describe everything they ate in one day) to check if the questionnaire is accurate.

Having a reliable tool to measure fermented food intake is important because fermented foods are eaten very differently across Europe, and current measurement methods don’t capture this variation well. Without a good measurement tool, researchers can’t accurately study how much fermented food people eat or investigate potential health benefits. This questionnaire fills that gap by being customized for different regions while maintaining scientific consistency.

This is a well-designed protocol study with several strengths: it involved expert panels to ensure accuracy, used proper translation methods to maintain consistency across languages, and planned for adequate sample sizes (1,536 per region). The study follows ethical guidelines and uses secure data collection. The main limitation is that this paper describes the plan rather than final results—the actual validation work is still ongoing. The study targets a 60% response rate, which is reasonable for online surveys.

What the Results Show

The researchers successfully developed a comprehensive questionnaire that captures fermented food intake across four European regions. The 3FQ includes specific fermented foods that vary by country—for example, different types of cheese are listed for different countries based on what people actually eat there. The questionnaire was translated into multiple languages using rigorous back-translation methods to ensure accuracy across languages.

The pilot testing phase confirmed that the questionnaire was clear and understandable to participants. The researchers designed the study to recruit a diverse sample of 1,536 adults per region, balanced by age and sex, to ensure the results would represent the general population.

The validation plan includes two key components: testing repeatability (whether people give similar answers when asked twice) and testing accuracy (comparing questionnaire answers to detailed 24-hour dietary recalls). These validation steps will use statistical methods to confirm that the questionnaire reliably measures fermented food intake.

The study also demonstrates the importance of regional customization in dietary questionnaires. By including country-specific examples of fermented foods, the questionnaire can capture local eating patterns more accurately than a one-size-fits-all approach. The research team also addressed practical considerations like using internet-based recruitment through social media and survey panels to reach diverse participants.

This research addresses a significant gap in nutrition science. While fermented foods are consumed worldwide and may have health benefits, there hasn’t been a validated tool specifically designed to measure fermented food intake across European populations. Previous dietary questionnaires either didn’t include fermented foods or didn’t account for regional variations. This 3FQ is designed to be more comprehensive and culturally appropriate than existing tools.

This paper describes the protocol (the plan) rather than final results, so we don’t yet have data showing how well the questionnaire actually works. The study targets a 60% response rate, which means some people invited won’t participate, potentially introducing bias. The questionnaire focuses on four European regions, so results may not apply to other parts of Europe or the world. Additionally, online recruitment may reach different types of people than those who don’t use the internet regularly.

The Bottom Line

This research is foundational work rather than a recommendation study. Once the questionnaire is fully validated, it will provide a reliable tool for future research on fermented food consumption and health. At this stage, there are no direct health recommendations, but the work supports future studies that may lead to evidence-based guidelines about fermented food intake.

Nutrition researchers, public health officials, and people interested in fermented foods should follow this work. Once validated, the questionnaire will be useful for large studies examining fermented food consumption patterns and potential health effects. Healthcare providers may eventually use findings from studies using this tool to make recommendations about fermented foods.

This is a developmental study, so immediate health benefits aren’t expected. The validation phase is currently underway and should be completed within the next 1-2 years. Once validated, the questionnaire can be used in future research studies, which typically take several years to complete and publish results.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track fermented food intake by category (dairy like yogurt and cheese, plant-based like sauerkraut and kimchi, beverages like kombucha) and record frequency per week and portion sizes to match the questionnaire structure
  • Users could use the app to log fermented food consumption daily or weekly, then compare their intake to regional averages once the questionnaire is validated, helping them understand their fermented food eating patterns
  • Set up weekly reminders to log fermented food intake, track trends over months, and periodically retake the full questionnaire (similar to the 6-week retest in the study) to monitor consistency in eating patterns

This research describes the development and testing plan for a measurement tool, not health recommendations. The questionnaire is still being validated and final results are not yet available. This tool is designed for research purposes to measure fermented food intake across European populations. Any future health recommendations based on studies using this questionnaire should be discussed with healthcare providers. Individual dietary needs vary, and fermented food consumption should be considered as part of an overall healthy diet. People with specific health conditions or dietary restrictions should consult with a healthcare provider before making significant changes to their diet.