Fermented Foods

• Foods that have been subjected to the action of micro-

organisms or enzymes, in order to bring about a
desirable change.

• Numerous food products owe their production and

characteristics to the fermentative activities of
microorganisms.

• Fermented foods originated many thousands of years

ago when presumably micro-organism contaminated
local foods.
 Fermented Foods

• Micro-organisms cause changes in the foods which:

– Help to preserve the food,
– Extend shelf-life considerably over that of
the raw materials from which they are
made,
– Improve aroma and flavour characteristics,
– Increase its vitamin content or its
digestibility compared to the raw materials.
Table 1 History and origins of some fermented foods

Food Approximate year Region

of introduction

Mushrooms 4000 BC China

Soy sauce 3000 BC China, Korea, Japan
Wine 3000 BC North Africa, Europe
Fermented milk 3000 BC Middle East
Cheese 2000 BC Middle East
Beer 2000 BC North Africa, China
Bread 1500 BC Egypt, Europe
Fermented Meats 1500 BC Middle East
Sourdough bread 1000 BC Europe
Fish sauce 1000 BC Southeast Asia, North Africa
Pickled vegetables 1000 BC China, Europe
Tea 200 BC China
 Fermented Foods
• The term “biological ennoblement” has
been used to describe the nutritional
benefits of fermented foods.

• Fermented foods comprise about one-

third of the world wide consumption of
food and 20- 40 % (by weight) of
individual diets.
 Benefits of fermentation
Raw Fermented
Benefit
material food
Preservation Milk Yoghurt, cheese
(Most materials)
Enhancement of safety
Fruit Vinegar
Acid production Beer
Barley
Acid and alcohol production Wine
Grapes
Meat Salami
Production of bacteriocins Gari
Cassava
Removal of toxic components Soy sauce
Soybean

Enhancement of nutritional value

Improved digestibility Wheat Bread
Retention of micronutrients Leafy veges. Kimchi, sauerkraut
Increased fibre content Coconut Nata de coco
Synthesis of probiotic compounds Milk Bifidus milk, Yakult,
Acidophilus yoghurt
Improvement of flavour Coffee beans Coffee
Grapes Wine
 Lactic Acid Bacteria
• Major group of Fermentative organisms.

• This group is comprised of 11 genera of gram-positive bacteria:

• Carnobacterium, Oenococcus, Enterococcus, Pediococcus,
Lactococcus, Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, Vagococcus,
Lactosphaera, Weissells and Lecconostoc

• Related to this group are genera such as Aerococcus,

Microbacterium, and Propionbacterium.

• While this is a loosely defined group with no precise boundaries all

members share the property of producing lactic acid from hexoses.
 Lactic Acid Bacteria
• The lactic acid bacteria can be divided into two groups based on
the end products of glucose metabolism.

• Those that produce lactic acid as the major or sole product of

glucose fermentation are designated homofermentative.

• Those that produce equal amounts of lactic acid, ethanol and

CO2 are termed heterofermentative.

• The homolactics are able to extract about twice as much energy

from a given quantity of glucose as the heterolactics.
 Lactic Acid Bacteria

• All members of Pediococcus, Lactococcus, Streptococcus,

Vagococcus, along with some lactobacilli are
homofermenters.

• Carnobacterium, Oenococcus, Enterococcus,

Lactosphaera, Weissells and Lecconostoc and some
Lactobacilli are heterofermenters

• The heterolactics are more important than the homolactics

in producing flavour and aroma components such as
acetylaldehyde and diacetyl.
 Lactic Acid Bacteria - Growth
• The lactic acid bacteria are mesophiles:
– they generally grow over a temperature range
of about 10 to 40oC,
– an optimum between 25 and 35oC.
– Some can grow below 5 and as high as 45 oC.

• Most can grow in the pH range from 4 to 8. Though some as

low as 3.2 and as high as 9.6.

Two ways to initiate a food fermentation….

...traditional & controlled fermentations
 Traditional Fermentation

Incubation
under specific
conditions
Raw material with Final product
indigenous microflora

Disadvantage: Process and product are unpredictable depending on

source of raw material, season, cleanliness of facility, etc.

Advantage: Some flavors unique to a region or product may only

be attained this way.
 Controlled Fermentation

Add starter culture

Raw material
Incubation
under specific
conditions

Final product
Advantage: – uniformity, efficient, more control of process and
product
 
Disadvantage: Isolating the right strain(s) to inoculate is not always
easy. Complexity of flavors may decrease.