Before I go into the specifics of certain ferments, I want to give a broader definition. Fermentation comes from the Latin food fervere, meaning “to boil”, and Noma in Copenhagen refers to it as “the transformation of food through enzymes produced by microorganisms, whether bacteria, yeasts, or mold”. It has been used as a method of preservation and flavor enhancement for thousands of years, starting in the Mesopotamic region and China, and chefs today are revolutionizing the variety of products that are subject to this process. According to Arielle Johnson, scholar of food science at MIT: “Microorganisms live in or on their food source, and biochemically transform it to extract energy, producing metabolites in the process. In general, a pool of larger molecular weight, and usually less flavor-active molecules - like starches and sugars - are transformed into a more diverse group of tastier, smaller molecules, such as amino acids, organic acids, esters, sugars, and aromatic compounds.” Fermentation relies on the control of the environment, specifically the salinity level, moisture content, pH (potentiation of hydrogen ions), and temperature, which affect the activity of the microorganisms. There are thousands of species that act upon substrates, but I will describe some of the most common ones below.
It's undeniable that fermentation carries health benefits: in many foods, new vitamins are introduced, like cyanocobalamin and pyridoxin (B12 and B6), as well as acetate (vitamin E). Furthermore, certain compounds like anti-nutrients that prevent absorption or raffinose, the compound in beans that causes gas and bloating are rendered inactive through the fermentation process, as microbes consume them as fuel. Although the link has not been proved for certain, there is some evidence in the scientific community that suggests that fermentation can improve the health of the gut microbiome, and improve the immune system's resiliency, which is currently under investigation.
Fermentation has become an intrinsic part of our lives, from cheese to chocolate to bread, and a new wave of this tradition has begun to influence how the restaurant world shapes its cuisine. At Noma, René Redzepi and David Zilber have built an entire fermentation chamber dedicated to researching various ingredients and microorganisms, which they incorporate into their menu. While fermenting at home doesn't have to be as complex as squid garum or black garlic miso, simple saeurkrauts or kimchi can easily be made (and nothing compares to a version you make yourself!). As this is a topic river, I aim to cover only some of the basics, but I will get more in depth with specific products in the future.
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May 2020
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