Value addition and preservation by fermentation technology

Abstract

Fermented foods are well-known for their nutritional value and health benefits among all the processed foods. Almost all types of foods are classified as fruit vegetables, cereal foods, milk foods, dairy product, meat, poultry, and fish product. The fermented foods are available in each type of food products to fulfill the demands of consumers. Exactly we do not know when fermented foods were introduced, but they are available in all parts of world. The long list of fermented foods includes cheese, yoghurt, other dairy fermented products, pickles, sauerkraut, fermented sausage, wine, beer, and some bakery products. Knowledge of fermentation has been broadened now. There was a time when “ferment” meanings were taken as yeast fermentation. Even the word yeast derived from the word “enzyma.” It meant that the yeast was the only agent which carried out the fermentation, but it has the limited activity. The fermentation reactions are catalyzed by enzyme which has specific catalytic activity for a particular type of biochemical process. To carry out fermentation for development of the product of commercial value, many numbers of enzymes and substrates are required for the purpose. Enzymes are able to catalyze various types of biochemical reactions and their activity is not lost till the end of reaction. Examples of high protein foods modified by fermentation are oriental fermented foods including soy-sauce, miso, tempeh, sofu, and natto. The soybean being the major raw material supplemented by cereals with enough starch like rice and roasted wheat, which help to reduce the protein level to desirable value and provide carbohydrate. The soybean has as high as 40 % protein which is very high and to that it has some antinutritional factors. Fermentation carried by mold followed by bacteria and yeast brings the product in best nutrition with acceptable taste and aroma.