Food Fermentation

Fermentation is one of the oldest ways of preservation food products with desirable properties such as extended shelf-life and good organoleptic properties. It is an essential metabolic phenomenon that basically takes place in absence of oxygen (O2).

Fermented foods are staples of the human diet and usually have an improved microbial stability and safety. In addition, some can be stored even at ambient temperatures. Furthermore, there are several examples of fermentation processes which lead to an increase in nutritional value or digestibility.

Fermentation happens commonly in yeast and bacteria and also in oxygen-starved muscle cells, as in the case of lactic acid fermentation. Microorganisms are integral part of the processing system

during the production of fermented foods. In terms of microbiologists, fermentation is a primary means of producing ATP by the degradation of organic nutrients anaerobically, in presence of suitable microorganisms.

Science of fermentation is called zymology. Research shows that fermentation processes have been developed in order to preserve foods for times of scarcity by preserving the food by organic acid and alcohols at the same time it imparts desirable flavor, texture to foods, reduce toxicity and decrease cooking time.

Fermentation is employed in the production of foods and its major roles including:
(1) Preservation of food through formation of inhibitory metabolites such as organic acid;
(2) improving food safety through inhibition of pathogens or removal of toxic compounds;
(3) improving the nutritional value and also makes the food palatable by enhancing its aroma and flavor.
Food Fermentation

Curing of meat

It was the process of treating meat with rock salt that led to modern curing practices. There is evidence of meat preservation with salt as early as 3000 BC and it is clear that the Romans utilized rock salt for a variety of meat preservation treatments.

Curing is the process of preserving meat for future needs primarily with salt; a byproduct of the curing processes is the added flavor that curing imparts, especially when spices and herbs are used. Among cured meats that are available in the market, hot dogs, other sausages and frankfurter, salami, bologna, pepperoni as well as ham, bacon and corn beef.

Almost all meats have a high percentage of water which must be removed to prevent spoilage, and the application of slat to meat extracts most of this water. Salt is to act as a preservative and to impart the characteristic salty character. It also increases the water-holding capacity of protein and thus enhances water uptake.

At the same time, salt, as it invades the meat, produces an antibacterial action to prevent meat from spoiling.

Cured meats represent a large portion of the processed meat products consumed in North America.

These processed meats are attractive in their color, flavor, texture and are popular because they combine variety with convenience of relatively long shelf-life and storage stability.
Curing of meat