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Fermentation: Why it's not rotting anytime soon |
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by Aldrin Aujero | 27-03-2018 16:37
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Aldrin Aujero March 27, 2018 The process of fermentation is all around us. From the pizza dough we have for lunch to the creamy yogurt that we crave for late at night, fermentation remains to be the champion of biological processes and is widely used in commercial food production. In today?s world, fermentation is primarily marketed as a function to boost and elevate our food experience both from a gustatory and wellbeing perspective. Yogurt for instance, is well known for its probiotic content and its positive effects on our digestive system. At the same time, it is also known for its unique bitter sour taste we all long for. However, the third function of fermentation is actually to preserve food for a longer time span. Our primordial ancestors relied on methods like curing meat or creating wine in order to prolong the shelf life of crucial food products during their time when technological solutions to preservation were not yet present. Today, we still see fermentation making its way to our world?s most highly demanded food items despite us already having the necessary means for food preservation. Consider cheese: a highly sought after dairy product made from fermented milk and yet possessing a distinct flavor favoured all across the globe. The point is simple: fermentation elevates our experience of food. It is an indispensable part of the food industry. Not surprisingly, fermentation is most popular in countries relying heavily on the agricultural or farming sector. In the Philippines, fermentation continues to be a crucial component of local food delicacies varying from region to region. However, among the invariable ingredients are staple food such as rice, coconut, mango etc. A comprehensive analysis of these fermentation of Filipino foods is given below. Patis: Perhaps one of the most used Filipino condiment, patis serves as the middle ground between a traditional flavors of soy sauce and vinegar. This distinct product is made of fermented small fish the most prominent one being anchovies. Atchara: A staple appetizer on Filipino meals, atchara is typically paired with fried rice and fish to provide a wholesome, satisfying and flavourful effect that complements the rest of the meal. Its tangy texture can be attributed to the fact that atchara is composed of green papaya, ginger, and onion. Puto: Commonly eaten as a side meal paired with meal dishes, puto is a slightly sweet rice steamed cake eaten by every Filipino household. Its fluffy texture and unique flavor is a result of it being made of fermented and sugar. (Charina et. al) These three food items are representative of the different types of fermented products we could have ranging from fermented fish, fruits and vegetables and rice. The point is fermented food take a huge portion of the food industry and constitute a huge part of the local livelihoods. Hence, it is apparent that just as fermentation proves to be successful in the Philippines, it can and it has the potential to achieve the same impact in other parts of the world. Through our active support of these food products we could all engage the problems of food waste and local livelihood and at the end of the day, make the food industry more sustainable. Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think below! Works cited: ?Atchara and fermentation.? KUSINERA DAVAO, www.kusineradavao.com/2014/03/atchara.html. ?Yogurt Nutrition - Nutrients Contained in Yogurt, Health Benefits, Greek Yogurt.? HealthyEating.org, www.healthyeating.org/Milk- Dairy/Nutrients-in-Milk-Cheese-Yogurt/Yogurt-Nutrition. Charina, Banaay Gracia B., et al. ?Lactic Acid Bacteria in Philippine Traditional Fermented Foods.? Lactic Acid Bacteria in Philippine Traditional Fermented Foods | IntechOpen, InTech, 30 Jan. 2013, www.intechopen.com/books/lactic-acid-bacteria-r-d-for-food-health- and-livestock-purposes/lactic-acid-bacteria-in-philippine-traditional- fermented-foods. |
  
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2 Comments
Hello Adrin, Gyeongrin mentor mentioned a nice example for your report!
As you may already know, microorganisms do take large parts of our activities.
For example, in sewerage systems, there are several sections that are all divided.
Each section holds water with wastes from the inner-city areas or other areas that are close to the place, and it systematically purifies water in several steps.
It also has microorganism in some sections, try to clean up water with heavy metals and other pollutants that are very minute and we cannot see in visual.
Keep up with your nice reports :)
Posted 30-03-2018 19:52
Hello Aldrin!
Nice report about foods that use fermentation for ling preservation. In Korea, we also have many kinds of fermented products, and I guess Kimchi is the most well known food in that criteria. The fermentation process is not only good for our health but also makes it possible to keep food for a long time. I also hope that additional support could be done so that the food industry can get more sustainable!
Thanks for the report!!
Posted 29-03-2018 16:05