A Short List of Fermented Foods

Food fermentation is considered to be one of the most popular processes in dealing with food. Fermenting foods is a type of chemical process in which sugars are converted in to alcohol or carbon dioxide. This kind of food processing usually involves the use of bacteria and yeast. In fact, fermentation has already been used for many centuries, and up to now, this type of food process is still being practiced. Aside from making food taste more flavorful, fermentation can also help in preserving them, which makes them last for quite some time. For us to know more about this process; below is the list of fermented foods that is common nowadays.

One of the most common fermented foods or drinks these days is none other than BEER. As we all know, beer is a favorite beverage of a lot of people all over the world. This alcoholic drink is usually made by boiling barley and hops in order to release its sugars. Once done, yeast is then added into the mixture in order to make the sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This process usually lasts depending on the type and brand of the beer. Some can cover only a few days, while others can take as much as several months. Another common fermented food is the BREAD. Bread usually uses yeast as one of the main ingredients in bread production. This type of fermentation allows carbon dioxide to form in order for the dough to rise, thus making it a lot easier to manage and bake. This particular process also adds extra flavor to these baked goods and can also help prolong their shelf life.

Aside from beer and bread, SOY SAUCE is also considered a popular fermented food. This process is even a lot more complicated than the others since it requires the soy beans to be soaked in water and steamed at high temperatures. Once done, wheat is usually added so as to give the soy sauce its aroma. This is then fermented with bacteria in the presence of high contents of salt. Salt is very effective in controlling the growth of bacteria in the sauce and as well as help in its preservation. Another common fermented food is CHEESE. Cheese is a dairy product that is also a result of fermentation. The bacteria found in milk, which is an essential component of cheeses, convert the milk sugar lactose into lactic acid. Once rennet is added to the fermenting process, curd will then eventually ripen into cheese.

Another fermented food is YOGURT, which is also a fermentation of milk just like in cheese. Other food products, especially cured meat, are also products of fermentation. Some of the most common include salami and pepperoni. This process actually enhances the flavor of the cured meat and as well as remove any moisture that gives the cured meat its defining color. Other vegetables are also made into pickles, which is also a type of preservation through fermentation.

These are just some of the known foods that we can consider as fermented products. As we can see, fermentation can actually do a lot of things. It does not only make food more flavorful, but it also helps in delaying its spoiling.

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