Home＞Basic knowledge＞1.What is fermentation?

Section1. What is fermentation?

Fermentation and spoilage are both scientific phenomena that “decompose organic compounds (carbon-containing substances) and produce new substances by the action of microorganisms” and there is no difference. So what distinguishes it? The answer is whether the new material produced is beneficial or harmful for human.

For example, in a note left in Japan by the Jesuit missionary Louis Frois who came to Japan in the late 16th century.
There is a description “We hate rotten origans of fish but Japanese people are very pleased eating it as ATE(Knob of liquor).”
This is thought to refer to SIOKARA(finely-cut fish meat salt-pickled with its entrails and fermented), and it turns out that even Japanese fermented foods are considered septic for the Portuguese.
In this way, what is considered a fermented food varies depending on the culture.
Fermentation changes things that are beneficial to humans, such as the flavor and color of ingredients. It is used not only for food but also for medicine, detergent and supplements.The microorganisms that perform fermentation are collectively called fermentative bacteria.