What Foods Make Use of Lactic Acid Fermentation?
Lactic acid fermentation represents a process where sugars such as glucose and fructose are converted, or broken down, into energy by bacteria with lactate as a byproduct. Lactate is a chemical derivative of lactic acid. The fermentation process is anaerobic, that is, it takes place without oxygen. This natural process is used to produce certain foods, using bacteria as a preservative.
-
Dairy Products
-
Dairy products that are fermented, according to Nourished Kitchen, provide more vitamins and folic acids than non-fermented dairy products. Yogurt is well-known as a fermented product but milk can also be fermented. As explained in Tempeh, the fermentation process with yogurt begins with the acid producing bacteria lactobacillus, known as a friendly bacteria. The bacteria reduces milk sugar to lactic acid, the cause of the curd and the reasons bad bacteria have trouble growing. Add the bacteria to milk and the fermentation process will produce yogurt with its distinctive flavor.
Breads
-
One reason for using lactic acid fermentation to make breads involves the preservative effects of bacteria. Ancient cultures relied on the process to preserve its food supply. An example of a bread that today uses fermentation is sourdough bread. A recipe in King Arthur Flour explains how to make your own sourdough bread. The recipe explains that the lactic acid, created as the dough rises and ferments, provides the sour for sourdough.
-
Sauerkraut
-
Lactic acid fermented sauerkraut is the result of shredded cabbage, either green, red or savoy, mixed with sea salt and seasonings. The recipe in natural-pain-relief-guide.com says to mix until the juice is drawn out of the cabbage. Pack the cabbage tightly into jars. Add substances rich in lactobacillus such as black currant leaves. Add a little more cabbage if necessary to fill the jar and then close. The fermentation will take two to three weeks.
Tempeh
-
Tempeh, an ancient food from Indonesia, is the result of fermenting soybeans with a tempeh starter, known as rhizopus mold. The controlled fermentation by the mold turns the soybeans into a white cake. The cake has a mushroom flavor, according to Tempeh, and contains protein from the soybeans. You can slice and fry the cake or use it in salads, soups and sandwiches. The only ingredients needed to make tempeh are soybeans and a tempeh starter. For vegetarians, it remains a good source of protein.
-
References
- Photo Credit BananaStock/BananaStock/Getty Images
