Ferment: The Life-Changing Power of Microbes

by Tim Spector

Tim Spector is on a mission to bring fermenting into our lives and kitchens. Drawing on the latest science and his own experiments, Ferment is an accessible introduction to the life-changing benefits of fermentation - for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

Fermenting is one of the most ancient, nutritious and cheap techniques for preparing and preserving food and drink. With little more than time, patience and basic equipment, the humblest of ingredients can be transformed into nutritious foods with an astonishing range of benefits for our gut health, immunity and daily mood.

Including practical tips and some of his favourite recipes, Ferment cuts through myths and misunderstanding to help us navigate the fascinating world of ferments and shows how they can help improve our health, our meal times and our planet.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, Science, Health, Cookbooks, Biology

311 pages, Hardcover

First published September 11, 2025

About the author

Tim Spector is Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at Kings College, London and Director of the TwinsUK Registry, which is one of the worlds richest data collections on 11,000 twins. He trained as a physician with a career in research, which since 1992 has demonstrated the genetic basis of a wide range of common diseases, previously thought to be mainly due to ageing and environment. Most recently his group have found over 400 novel genes in over 30 diseases, such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, melanoma, baldness, and longevity. He has published over 600 research articles in prestigious journals including Science and Nature. He coordinates many worldwide genetic consortia and is currently at the forefront of research with a highly competitive European Research Council Senior Investigator award to study Epigenetics – a new exciting research area into how genes can be altered. He is the author of several books for the scientific and public communities and presents regularly in the media.

Reviews

[Niki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this as an avid fermenter, and there are a couple of recipes I will add to my already (some might argue) excessive fermentation repertoire. Marked down because as with all Tim Spector’s books he quotes a lot of unpublished studies, states a lot of opinion as fact and I worry that everyone believes everything that he says (because he’s a prof) without questioning any of the evidence.

[Laura Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up to learn more about gut microbes and the science behind fermented foods. The science-y sections were really interesting and explained the benefits of different foods. I also loved that Momo Kombucha got a shout-out, as it’s something I buy from time to time, so I was glad to see it make the cut!

But most of the book is recipe-focused, and I’m just not someone who’s going to ferment things at home… I’d rather spend the money buying good fermented foods than make them myself, so a lot of those sections weren’t really relevant for me. So, I enjoyed the educational side but didn’t get much use from the DIY recipe!

[Anita · Rating 2 out of 5]

Will rate a 2 as for me personally I wouldn't dare make anything from book.
It was interesting but not as helpful for me as the last book I read by Tim
' Food for life ' or something.
Yeh didn't really learn anything I dont already know.

[J.T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information about a variety of topics, but more focused on the science than being a hands-on volume. The audiobook is a solid long-form podcast, but I find Sandor Katz's books on the topic far more useful.

[Lauren Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love that is has recipes

[Edward Bunker · Rating 3 out of 5]

would recommend getting the physical version.

[Clare Staines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book to keep coming back to. Needs another edit. Spaces are missing in one spot and I think tablespoons were mistakenly used rather than teaspoons in one of the kombucha recipes