1. Fermentation, Probiotics & the Biome
“God made yeast as well as dough and loves fermentation just as dearly as he loves vegetation”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Sauerkraut

2. We are not a body, but a System: A Superorganism
Our bodies are a collective genome of microbes who thrive on transformation
9 out of every 10 Cells is a Microbe
99 % of the DNA in our bodies belongs to microorganism, or microbe
We are are populated by billions and billions of microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea
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3. Probiotics: We need you!
Probiotic: A microorganism introduced into the body for its beneficial qualities
Any carbohydrates in your food that you don't digest and absorb get passed along to gut microbes.
Fermentation is the process that occurs when microbes in the gut assist by consuming and breaking down carbohydrates.
YET: our Western diet is reducing the collective count through eating fat and refined carbs
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Enzymes & Lactic Acid
Certain carbohydrates: Oligo-saccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides & Polyols are short-chain carbohydrates that are incompletely absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, often are sugar alcohols
Lactic Acid breaks down carbs effectively into shorter fatty acid chains – “pre-digestion”
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The Digestive System
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Microbial Digestion
Microbes are located throughout the gut to enhance digestion
They break down the fiber in food into organic acids that nourish the lining of the intestines
This is fermentation, breaking down chains of glucose – into easily absorbed sugar alcohols
Rather than through bloodstream, this is what “feeds” those walls
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7. In Your Gut: Fermentation Process
Microbes produce hydrogen, methane and other gases.
The gases make the intestines expand; picture a tube-shaped balloon expanding as it is blown up.
The abdominal wall gently expands to accommodate this, and the gas is eventually either passed as flatus or absorbed into the blood stream.
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More on microbes in Gut
Microbes resist invasion by microbial “interlopers” – through antibiotic compounds
They are a secondary line of defense
They are more agile to threats & opportunities than we are: exquisitely reactive & fungible
They are more skilled than we are biochemically
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What is Fermentation?
Fermentation is an energy-yielding anaerobic metabolic process in which organisms convert nutrients (typically carbohydrates) to alcohols and acids (lactic acid and acetic acid).
Yeast perform fermentation to obtain energy by converting sugar into alcohol.
Bacteria perform fermentation, converting carbohydrates into lactic acid.
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What is Zymology?
The art of studying fermentation is called zymology or zymurgy.
Louis Pasteur was one of the first zymologists and referred to fermentation as “the result of life without air."
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11. An ancient biotechnological discovery
Over 10,000 years ago mankind was producing wine, beer, vinegar and bread using microorganisms, primarily yeast.
Yogurt was produced by lactic acid bacteria in milk, and molds were used to produce cheese.
Caves are the perfect environment for a ferment
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12. Acid vs Alkaline Ferments
LACTIC ACID: sauerkraut, olives, pickles, Korean Kimchi, yogurt, Ghanian Kenkey, Nigerian gari, Philipine balao bao lao, sourdough bread, Indian idli & khaman, Ethiopian injera, Western sausages, preserved lemons, Thai nham
ALKALINE: Nigerian dawadawa, Ivory Coast soumbara, Japanese nato
AMINO ACID: soy sauce, fish sauce, ketchup
ACETIC ACID: vinegar, kombucha, nata de coco
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What is Lactic Acid?
The pyruvate molecules from glucose metabolism (glycolysis) may be fermented into lactic acid.
Lactic acid also occurs in animal muscles when the tissue requires energy at a faster rate than oxygen can be supplied.
We know this as “cramping”
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14. An important generalization
Fermentation reactions are not peculiar to the action of yeast but also occur in many other instances of glucose utilization.
The production of lactic acid from lactose and water may be summarized as:
C12H22O11 (lactose) + H2O (water) → 4 CH3CHOHCOOH
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Nutrient Enhancement
Fermenting not only preserves food but also enhances the nutrient content.
The action of the culture organisms makes the minerals in cultured foods more readily available to the body.
During the fermenting process the bacteria also produce B vitamins and enzymes that are beneficial for digestion.
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Lactic Acid Does It
Lactic acid bacteria create a natural process of growth and acid production
Salt and limited air create desirable conditions for the leuconostocs – a group of less acid tolerant lactic acid bacteria that grow better at 60°F to 70°F.
As the leuconostocs grow, they produce flavor compounds, lactic acid and carbon dioxide creating an environment that favors more acid tolerant lactobacilli (grow well above 70°F).
Lactic acid actually preserves healthy flora throughout intestine .
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17. Bacteria: Friend or Foe?
Skins of fruits and vegetables come complete with natural bacteria accumulated during the farming and transportation process. These bacteria, if allowed to grow, will ferment your fruits or vegetables
BUT - some of the present bacteria as well as bacteria in the surrounding air may not lead to a tasty finished product.
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18. Salt & Culture Mechanisms
Salt and starter cultures such as whey, kefir grains, and freeze-dried cultures promote the fermenting process
They inhibit the growth of undesirable microorganisms, favoring the growth of desired Lactobacilli, and in some cases even adding desirable bacteria to the culturing process.
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Two Methods Used
There are several different methods used to ferment foods – the two main methods are salt fermentation and lacto-fermentation.
Most common is layering salt
Acid production can also be completed by adding lactobacilli to work in combination with other lactic acid bacteria
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Salt
Salt allows the natural bacteria that exist on the vegetables to do the fermenting.
A benefit of salt is that it hardens the pectin in the vegetables leaving them crunchy and enhancing the flavor.
Salt pulls out the moisture in food, denying bacteria the aqueous solution they need to live and grow except for the desired salt-tolerant Lactobacilli strains.
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21. Keep Desirable Strains Active
Using ingredients such as salt can inhibit the growth of undesirable microorganisms while favoring the growth of desired strains of bacteria.
By suppressing the growth of other bacteria and mold, salt provides a slower fermentation process that is perfect for cultured vegetables that are to be stored for longer periods of time.
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Preserved Lemons
Lemons
Kosher or Pickling salt
Bay Leaves & spices
Using crock & stomping down tool, Tracy will demo…
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