Written By: Hatim Dungrawala
Edited By: Ocean Croft
Designed By: Yaashi Mulchandani
Published By: Tanvi Jillella
Have you ever left milk out for too long that it begins to smell off? Perhaps you’ve eaten a piece of sourdough bread, remembering the noticeable sourness in its taste? These results are caused by the act of fermentation, a key natural process that humans have used for millenia to cultivate and preserve food, making year-long shelf life possible without spoilage. Its widespread use in our modern world makes fermentation equally crucial to our society, economy, environment, and health.
To put it simply, fermentation is when different flavours and supportive compounds are produced by the degradation of food. This degradation is caused by the presence of organisms such as yeast and bacteria. A food’s nutrition, feel, and taste can be altered due to the generation of metabolites from the fermentation process. Positive health impacts, heightened sapidity, along with food preservation are caused by primary metabolites, such as alcohol and lactic acid. Special tastes can be attributed to food due to terpenoids, which are secondary metabolites.
The beginnings of fermentation are slightly blurry, but can be dated back to 7000 BC, as per indications found in the preparation of certain foods and drinks. Derived from the word ‘fervere’, a latin verb meaning ‘to boil’, this word was probably used to depict the conversion of certain items, like fruit juice and malted grain, to alcohol. Most civilizations within the past several thousand years have been evidently seen taking advantage of fermentation, but its exact beginnings still remain unknown.
Due to the popularity of fermentation globally, there are many renowned foods that are fermented, one being sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is a fermented cabbage and is especially praised in Germany, where the name comes from. Sauerkraut is famous for having high amounts of fibre, probiotics, and various vitamins, while also optimizing immunity, weight management, and much more. Making your own sauerkraut is a relatively simple task, with cabbage and non-iodized salt being the only prerequisites. Another fermented culinary delight is kimchi, whose origins begin from the Korean Peninsula. Kimchi is a mixture of various vegetables, such as radish, celery, carrot, eggplant, and more, but primarily consists of cabbage. All of these vegetables are then fermented in salt, and are proven to regulate blood sugar levels, cholesterol mitigation, and can possibly be a contributor to slowed aging. One final fermented favourite is tempeh! Tempeh is made from soy, and is known to be very similar and even a ‘cousin’ of tofu, along with tempeh being of Indonesian descent. Protein levels are exceptionally high in tempeh, and is one of its most prized qualities, while also being a great option for those adhering to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. Additionally, tempeh can also be beneficial for bones, as it delivers two key nutrients, phosphorus and calcium, while also being a source of probiotics, supporting the digestive system.
Moreover, the environmental and economic impact associated with fermentation is significant. Various parts of our diet can be completely transformed if the science and benefits of fermentation are properly implemented in the food industry, while also taking advantage of the massive environmental pros that come alongside it. Fermentation can offer the same nutrition and sensation on the palette if used as an alternative to traditional sources of dairy and protein products. Furthermore, the efficiency found in the fermentation process is second to none, highlighting great potential in today’s market where quantity is emphasized over quality. Since processed foods are in abundance nowadays and fermentation can be used as a substitute for some of those processed nutrients and ingredients, implementing fermentation better into the industry coupled with its great efficiency can improve the “quality of foods” whilst still being “fast”. The plant-based food market can significantly benefit from the integration of fermentation processes, as water and deforestation problems will drop, utilization of land and water will be mitigated, along with a noticeable decrease in greenhouse gases, considering that conventional agricultural practices tend to emit higher amounts. From an economic standpoint, fermentation technology can provide jobs, foster future innovation, and simultaneously promote substantial economic growth within its respective sector. The preservation of the environment, along with massive contributions to food insecurity mitigation result from the embracing of fermentation technology, relieving the massive burden placed on current farming.
In conclusion, fermented foods have had a very long history, serving as a cornerstone to the survival of civilizations and the preservation of ingredients, while simultaneously unlocking a new world of flavours for food and keeping disease and infection at bay. Research endeavors into understanding fermentation will advance our knowledge behind this simple yet beneficial transformation, allowing us to use the processes of fermentation and its products to the best of our advantage.
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