Lactic Acid Fermentation Of Fruits And Vegetables

Lactic acid fermentation has been practiced for thousands of years mainly to preserve surplus and perishable foodstuff and also to enhance them organoleptically. Lactic acid fermentation of fruits and vegetables is no exception, leading to the production of a wide range of products, some of which are now considered as characteristic of certain geographical areas and cultures. The aim of this book is to collect, present, and discuss all available information regarding lactic acid fermentation of fruits and vegetables. For this purpose, an international group of experts was invited to contribute their knowledge and experience in a highly informative and comprehensive way. The book consists of fourteen chapters. The first five chapters integrate aspects that apply to all products. Then, chapters 6 to 9 are dedicated to products that have met commercial significance and have been extensively studied, i.e. sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented cucumbers and olives. In chapters 10 to 13, regional products with great potential from Asia, Europe and Africa, as well as lactic acid fermented juices and smoothies, are presented and thoroughly discussed. Finally, chapter 14 discusses the fields in which intensive study is expected to take place in the coming years.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have historically been used as starter cultures for the production of fermented foods, especially dairy products. Over recent years, new areas have had a strong impact on LAB studies: the application of omics tools; the study of complex microbial ecosystems, the discovery of new LAB species, and the use of LAB as powerhouses in the food and medical industries. This second edition of Biotechnology of Lactic Acid Bacteria: Novel Applications addresses the major advances in the fields over the last five years. Thoroughly revised and updated, the book includes new chapters. Among them: The current status of LAB systematics; The role of LAB in the human intestinal microbiome and the intestinal tract of animals and its impact on the health and disease state of the host; The involvement of LAB in fruit and vegetable fermentations; The production of nutraceuticals and aroma compounds by LAB; and The formation of biofilms by LAB. This book is an essential reference for established researchers and scientists, clinical and advanced students, university professors and instructors, nutritionists and food technologists working on food microbiology, physiology and biotechnology of lactic acid bacteria.

Fermented fruits and vegetables contribute significantly to the diets of rural populations in a number of developing countries. This bulletin reviews the pretreatment, fermentation, packaging and storage of fruits and vegetables in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Methodologies for the production of a variety of pickles fruits and vegetables, wines, vineagar, cocoa and coffee are described along with the biochemical and microbial changes associated with the fermentation processes. Much of the information presented is indigenous and has not been previously documented. It is hoped that the dissemination of this publication will promote wider interest in the development and improvement of small scale fruit and vegetables fermentation. Contents: Chapter 1: The Benefits of Fermenting Fruits and Vegetables, (1) Improving Food Security, (2) Increasing Income and Employment, (3) Improving Nutrition, (4) Medicinal Benefits, Chapter 2: Basic Principles of Fermentation, (1) The Diversity of Fermented Foods, (2) Organisms Responsible for Food Fermentation, (3) Desirable Fermentation, (4) Manipulation of Microbial Growth and Activity, (5) Controlled Fermentations, Chapter 3: Yeast Fermentations, (1) What are Yeasts?, (2) Conditions Necessary for Fermentation, (3) Production of Fruits Alcohol, Chapter 4: Products of Yeast Fermentation, (1) Fermented Fruit Juices, (2) Fermented Plant Saps, Chapter 5: Bacterial Fermentations, (1) What are Bacteria?, (2) Lactic Acid Bacteria, (3) Acetic Acid Bacteria, (4) Bacteria of Alkaline Fermentations, (5) Conditions Required for Bacterial Fermentations, (6) Principles of Lactic Acid Fermentation, (7) Principles of Acetic Acid Fermentation, Chapter 6: Typical Products of Bacterial Fermentations, (1) Dry Salted Pickles, (2) Brined Fruit and Vegetable Pickles, (3) Non Salted Lactic Acid Bacteria Products, (4) Alkaline Fermentation Products, Chapter 7: Products of Mixed Fermentations, (1) Vinegar, (2) Cocoa Products, (3) Coffee, (4) Other Mixed Fermentation Products, Chapter 8: The Way Ahead, (1) Improving the Understanding of Fermented Products, (2) Refining the Process, (3) Disseminating Improvements, (4) Creating a Supportive Environment for Products of Fermented Food Products.

In developing countries, traditional fermentation serves many purposes. It can improve the taste of an otherwise bland food, enhance the digestibility of a food that is difficult to assimilate, preserve food from degradation by noxious organisms, and increase nutritional value through the synthesis of essential amino acids and vitamins. Although "fermented food" has a vaguely distasteful ring, bread, wine, cheese, and yogurt are all familiar fermented foods. Less familiar are gari, ogi, idli, ugba, and other relatively unstudied but important foods in some African and Asian countries. This book reports on current research to improve the safety and nutrition of these foods through an elucidation of the microorganisms and mechanisms involved in their production. Also included are recommendations for needed research.

This Brief explores the importance of lactic acid and fermentation in the modern food industry. Although it is usually associated with milk and dairy products, lactic acid can also be found in many other fermented food products, including confectionery products, jams, frozen desserts, and pickled vegetables. In this work, the authors explain how lactic acid is produced from lactose by Lactobacillus and Streptococcus cultures, and they also emphasise its important role as pH regulator and preservative, helping to the inhibition of microbial growth in fermented foods. The Brief discusses a wide range of lactic acid’s applications as a natural additive, curing or gelling agent, flavour, food carrier, solvent, and discoloration inhibitor, among others. Readers will also find a brief overview of the current analytical methods for the quantitative and qualitative determination of lactic acid in foods.

At Noma—four times named the world’s best restaurant—every dish includes some form of fermentation, whether it’s a bright hit of vinegar, a deeply savory miso, an electrifying drop of garum, or the sweet intensity of black garlic. Fermentation is one of the foundations behind Noma’s extraordinary flavor profiles. Now René Redzepi, chef and co-owner of Noma, and David Zilber, the chef who runs the restaurant’s acclaimed fermentation lab, share never-before-revealed techniques to creating Noma’s extensive pantry of ferments. And they do so with a book conceived specifically to share their knowledge and techniques with home cooks. With more than 500 step-by-step photographs and illustrations, and with every recipe approachably written and meticulously tested, The Noma Guide to Fermentation takes readers far beyond the typical kimchi and sauerkraut to include koji, kombuchas, shoyus, misos, lacto-ferments, vinegars, garums, and black fruits and vegetables. And—perhaps even more important—it shows how to use these game-changing pantry ingredients in more than 100 original recipes. Fermentation is already building as the most significant new direction in food (and health). With The Noma Guide to Fermentation, it’s about to be taken to a whole new level.

The first volume in a series covering the latest information in microbiology, biotechnology, and food safety aspects, this book is divided into two parts. Part I focuses on fermentation of traditional foods and beverages, such as cereal and milk products from the Orient, Africa, Latin America, and other areas. Part two addresses fermentation biology, discussing specific topics including microbiology and biotechnology of wine and beer, lactic fermented fruits and vegetables, coffee and cocoa fermentation, probiotics, bio-valorization of food wastes, and solid state fermentation in food processing industries.