## 1 Introduction  
The recent strategies for the prevention or delay of noncommunicable diseases related to oxidative stress, such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, have led to an increasing interest in the development of functional foods designed to target reducing the oxidative status and inflammation [1, 2]. In this sector, numerous in vitro, animal, and clinical studies highlight the beneficial effect of fermented foods, which possess significant antioxidant, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and hypolipidemic activities [1, 2]. [PERSON] et al. unveiled that including fermented foods in the daily diet may improve several clinical outcomes, which is in agreement with reported properties [1].  
Among these, miso, a traditional Japanese sauce which is prepared with fermented soybean paste, has been extensively studied for its possible preventive role against oxidation and chronic dysmetabolism [3,4]. In vitro studies primarily attribute these effects to the metabolic activity of microorganisms, which, during the fermentation process, produce bioactive peptides, increasing the bioavailability of phenolic compounds and inhibiting the activity of digestive enzymes [5]. Additionally, these microorganisms are known to increase the bioaccessibility of crucial isoflav, leading to improved lipid management, as well as to reduced inflammation and oxidative status [6,7]. Clinical evidence reveals that the consumption of fermented soy foods, including miso, has a regulatory role on concentrations of inflammatory markers, mainly Interleukin-6 (IL-6), but also on C-reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin-18 (IL-18) levels, reinforcing their healthful impact [3]. Evidence also supports that miso consumption can inhibit the growth of certain tumors, including those affecting the stomach, colon, liver, and lungs, in animal studies. It has also been associated with better hypertension management, reduced insulin resistance, suppression of visceral fat, and reduced lipid accumulation in the liver [3,8].  
Our previous clinical study introduced the evaluation of the acute metabolic effect of a novel miso-type sauce, enhanced with biocarotenoids derived from fruit byproducts, throughout the 3 h postprandial phase [4]. Biocarotenoids and polyphenols, which are recovered from fruit byproducts using bioprocesses [5,6], have been assessed to synergistically enhance the activity of novel miso against oxidative stress and pathological features of chronic dysmetabolism. Hydrolytic enzymes produced during the fermentation process on substrates such as barley, wheat, and rice bran have been suggested to further enhance the bioactivity of the final product [9]. The findings of the previous postprandial dietary intervention indicated that consumption of a high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal, which causes acute oxidative stress, containing the functional miso sauce, can increase plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in humans [4].  
Furthermore, there are indications that daily miso consumption may reduce insulin resistance in women [10]. The hypocholesterolem role of miso is demonstrated in a 9-month follow-up, where the daily intake of 50 g of miso by nonvegetarian premenopausal women seems capable of leading to a reduction in total cholesterol values [11]. Although the evidence supports that habitual consumption of miso soup may not significantly alter the HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, and uric acid levels in diabetic men and women [8], this pilot clinical study extends the evaluation of the acute, postprandial metabolic effect of a novel miso-type sauce enhanced with biocarotenoids from fruit byproducts [4].  
Therefore, the aim of the present pilot cross-over clinical study was to further investigate the effect of habitual consumption of the biofunctional miso-type sauce enhanced with biocarotenoids on lipidemic, glycemic, and oxidative biomarkers in healthy volunteers.