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A Research Paper About Fermentation Shant M. Bekarian Ridgefield Memorial HIghschool 2/24/13

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ABSTARCT In a general sense, fermentation is the conversion of a carbohydrate such as sugar into an acid or an alcohol. More specifically, fermentation can refer to the use of yeast to change sugar into alcohol or the use of bacteria to create lactic acid in certain foods. Fermentation occurs naturally in many different foods given the right conditions, and humans have intentionally made use of it for many thousands of years. The earliest uses of fermentation were most likely to create alcoholic beverages such as mead, wine, and beer. These beverages may have been created as far back as 7,000 BCE in parts of the Middle East. The fermentation of foods such as milk and various vegetables probably happened sometime a few thousand years later, in both the Middle East and China. While the general principle of fermentation is the same across all of these drinks and foods, the precise methods of achieving it, and the end results, differ. In addition the most common substrate for fermentation is sugar. ("Fermentation," para. 1-3) MAIN BODY Fermentation in food processing typically is the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohols and carbon dioxide or organic acids using yeasts, bacteria, or a combination thereof, under an aerobic conditions. Fermentation in simple terms is the chemical conversion of sugars into ethanol. The science of fermentation is also known as zymology or zymurgy. Fermentation usually implies that the action of microorganisms desirable and the process is used to produce alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer, and cider. Fermentation also is employed in the leavening of bread (CO2 produced by yeast activity); in preservation techniques to produce lactic acid in sour foods such as sauerkraut, dry sausages, kimchi, and yogurt; and in pickling of foods with vinegar (acetic acid). (Mike para. 2)

3 FERMENTATION Fermentation also had a major effect on biochemistry. When studying the fermentation of sugar to alcohol by yeast, Louis Pasteur concluded that the fermentation was catalyzed by a vital force, called "ferments," within the yeast cells. The "ferments" were thought to function only within living organisms. "Alcoholic fermentation is an act correlated with the life and organization of the yeast cells, not with the death or putrefaction of the cells," he wrote. (Laron para. 9-11) Nevertheless, it was known that yeast extracts can ferment sugar even in the absence of living yeast cells. While studying this process in 1897, Eduard Buchner of Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany, found that sugar was fermented even when there were no living yeast cells in the mixture, by a yeast secretion that he termed zymase. In 1907 he received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research and discovery of "cell-free fermentation." One year prior, in 1906, ethanol fermentation studies led to the early discovery of NAD+. (Celine para. 1) Aceitic Acid (vinegar) is formed when weak fermented liquors will become sour on exposure to the air. This is owing to the conversion of the alcohol in acetic acid. Acetic acid is produced by fermenting various substrates (starchy solution, sugar solutions or alcoholic foodstuffs such as wine or cider) with Acetobacter bacteria. Examples of acetic fermentation; in Western Europe: apple cider vinegar and wine vinegar, kambucha. In Africa: palm wine vinegar, and in the Philippines: coconut water vinegar. (Celine para 5-6) Bread is formed by fermentation as well. During the fermentation process of bread, sugar is converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide will form bubbles, which will be trapped by the gluten of the wheat causing the bread to rise. Because the bread fermentation takes a short period, only small amounts of alcohol are formed, most of which will evaporate during the bread baking process. (Celine 7-8)

4 FERMENTATION Yogurt is made by fermenting milk with friendly bacteria, mainly Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Yogurt fermentation was invented by accident by Balkan tribes thousands of years ago. Yogurt remained mainly a food of eastern Europe until the 1900s, when the biologist Mechnikov created the theory that lactobacillus bacteria in yogurt are responsible for the unusually long lifespan of the Bulgur people. The milk sugar or lactose is fermented by these bacteria to lactic acid which causes the characteristic curd to form. The acid also restricts the growth of food poisoning bacteria. During the yogurt fermentation some flavors are produced, which give yogurt its characteristic flavor. (Celine para 10-11) These are fermentation end product of some microorganisms. Saccharomyces result from ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide. Streptococcus and Lactobacillus result from lactic acid. Propionibacterium result from propionic acid, acetic acid, and carbon dioxide. Escherichia coli result from acetic acid, lactic acid, succinic acid, ethyl alcohol, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen. Enterobacter result from formic acid, ethyl alcohol, 2, 3-butanediol, lactic acid, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen. Clostridium result from butyric acid, butyl alcohol, acetone, isopropyl alcohol, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen. (Celine 13-15) CONCLUSION In retrospect, the scientific meaning of fermentation is the energy-yielding anaerobic metabolism of a nutrients, such as sugars, without oxidation. Fermentation converts these nutrients mainly into lactic acid, acetic acid, and ethanol. In a broader meaning, fermentation refers to the growth of microorganisms on food. Here no distinction is made between aerobic (oxygen is used) and anaerobic (no oxygen is used) metabolism. We will here use this broader meaning of fermentation. Fermentation will gradually change the characteristics of the food by the action of enzymes, produced by some bacteria, molds and yeasts. (Laron para 1-4)

5 FERMENTATION WORKS CITED Fermentation. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-fermentation.htm Mike, A. (n.d.). Fermentation (food). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentation_(food) Celine, F. (n.d.). Fermentation. Retrieved from http://www.tempeh.info/fermentation/fermentation.php Laron, M. (n.d.). Fermentation (biochemistry). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentation_(biochemistry)

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