All About Food Sciences & Tech.

  Fermentation Fermentation is an anaerobic process in which microorganisms like yeast and bacteria break down food components (e.g. sugars such as glucose) into other products (e.g. organic acids, gases or alcohol). This gives fermented foods their unique and desirable taste, aroma, texture and appearance. Starter Cultures Traditionally the fermenting organisms came from the natural microflora or a portion of the previous fermentation. In many cases the natural microflora is either inefficient, uncontrollable, and unpredictable, or is destroyed during preparation of the sample prior to fermentation (e.g. pasteurization). A starter culture can provide particular characteristics in a more controlled and predictable fermentation. Other functions of starter cultures may include: flavor, aroma, and alcohol production, proteolytic and lipolytic activities, inhibition of undesirable organisms. A good starter culture will convert most of the sugars to lactic acid. Increase the lactic acid...

  Food Microbiology Food microbiology is the study of the microorganisms that inhabit, create, or contaminate food. This includes the study of microorganisms causing food spoilage; pathogens that may cause disease (especially if food is improperly cooked or stored); microbes used to produce fermented foods such as cheese, yogurt, bread, beer, and wine; and microbes with other useful roles, such as producing probiotics. It is understandable that our food supply can contain microorganisms in interaction with food. These microorganisms use food supply as a source of nutrients for their own growth. These will cause 2 possibilities: Either – Result in deterioration of food (“spoil”) OR These interactions between microorganisms and food are beneficial to humans. How microorganisms can cause deterioration of the food? When they utilize the nutrients of the food, it involved changes in the food compound like: Synthesis a new compound that causes spoiling of the food. Produced enzymatic cha...