Rediscovering Fermented Foods Understanding the power of live food It is said that the astonishing life expectancy of the Caucasian people is thanks to kefir Probiotics in Kimchi kickstarts fermented foods can your metabolism strengthen the and the lactic acid immune system that it contains cleans the intestines One of the classic Are businesses fermented foods is ready for this sauerkraut opportunity? Kombucha, a type of fermented tea, is a growing trend www.lantern.es Сontent 1 05 What are fermented foods? 2 09 Popular Probiotic Fermented Foods and their history 3 16 Why is now the time for Fermented Foods? 4 20 The Science Behind Fermented Food 5 25 The Fermented Probiotic Products Market: How do we take advantage of this opportunity? Rediscovering Fermented Foods The world of fermented foods is very broad. In fact, it is Mingles Image: Restaurant estimated that almost one third of the food that we consume is fermented. 3 Rediscovering Fermented Foods In his documentary “Cooked”, Michael Pollan expresses how every journey through the kit- chen implies a transformation of foods, among which fermenta- tion is the most mysterious and miraculous of all. One leaves a certain food lie, and over time it becomes transformed into something delicious, with more qualities than it had at the start. The beginning of life as we know it arose from restaurant Coque (Madrid), has just released an the evolution of single-celled organisms that over impressive new book entitled “Gourmet Fermented thousands of years have been in close contact with Foods”. Other top-rated chefs like Magnus Nilsson other microrganisms, mainly bacteria, giving rise to (Fäviken), David Chang (Momofuku) and Shima living creatures like plants and animals. Shimizu (Sesame) also include fermented foods in their latest recipes. The use of fermentation in cooking and processing foods is present in almost all cultures around the The world of fermented foods is very broad. In world. For centuries, human beings have used fer- fact, it is estimated that almost one third of the mentation processes to preserve foods and simul- food that we consume is fermented. This report taneously instill them with distinctive characteristics will focus on only one category of fermented like alcohol content, more acid flavors and other foods: those that maintain their micro-bacterial functional properties. Amongst some of the most activity and still contain probiotic properties at the popular fermented foods are sauerkraut and pick- moment of consumption. These live foods contain les found in Central and Eastern Europe, Korean unique and in many cases still unknown functional kimchi, anchovies, dairy products like yogurts and properties. At Lantern, we believe that the time is cheese, cured meats like chorizo and pepperoni, now to rediscover these remarkable foods, from and beverages like wine and beer. a functional and gastronomical point of view, and this paper aims to deliver wherever possible, a Many chefs are currently introducing fermented clear and open foundation of knowledge regard- dishes into their tasting menus. As it happens, ing fermentation that allows society to benefit Mario Sandoval, chef in the double Michelin-starred from all of its potential. 4 Rediscovering Fermented Foods What are fermented foods? 1 Gschmeissner / Science photo Library Image: Steve The process of fermentation was discovered by Because microrganisms thrive wherever they find Louis Pasteur. Fermentation isn’t anything magical, favorable conditions, food items are likely to be technically it’s just a process of anaerobic transfor- microbiologically transformed with time, except in mation that doesn’t require oxygen. The definition the case of dried or frozen products (conditions in given by Sandor Ellix Katz, author of “The Art of which enzymes cannot function). The transforma- Fermentation” and an expert in this field is more tion can be harmful for the food, it can spoil or rot. fitting: Fermentation is the transformation of foods On the other hand, it can also be beneficial, giving through the actions of diverse enzymes, bacteria rise to a delicious product with a distinct flavor or and fungi. texture. 5 Rediscovering Fermented Foods In the simplest terms, we can say that these bacte- Another benefit of fermentation is that in this ria feed from the existing sugars in the food process of transformation, the food’s nutrients item, and in the process, generate other elements are broken down into other smaller components, like acids or alcohols. Leaving aside alcoholic making them more easily digestible. In other fermentation, which is the most well-known, the cases, fermentation prompts the transformation majority of fermented foods are subject to lactic of compounds that could be toxic to humans into fermentation. This fermentation transforms glu- harmless ones. cose and generates a waste product called lactic acid. This “waste” is what increases the acidity of While modifying the qualitative properties of the the food’s culture (decreasing the pH level), en- food, fermentation also has direct benefits on our suring that new bacteria can’t develop, impeding health. On one hand, because the process pro- spoiling and making the food longer-lasting. duces certain nutrients like fatty acids, vitamins, amino acids and proteins. On the other hand, Image: watermelon.org because these types of food contain certain live bacteria at the time of ingestion that continue to act once they are in our bodies. These are what we know as probiotics. As we will see further on, the microrganisms produced by these foods are key for our health. 6 Rediscovering Fermented Foods We shouldn’t confuse probiotics (live microrgan- isms administered in suitable quantities lending health benefits to the host), with prebiotics. The Tsang Image: Cleaneatingmag / Ronald latter are products that serve as food for bacteria that we have in our body and for this reason they are also critical to our health. These include food with a high fiber content, which acts as suste- nance to these microrganisms, such as leeks, garlic, onion and artichokes. One of the benefits of fermen- tation is that it creates an acidic environment that impedes the spread of new bacteria. 7 Rediscovering Fermented Foods Shelf Life A Homemade Process Another one of the interesting aspects of fer- As mentioned, fermentation is a process dating mented foods is their shelf life. As we have men- back centuries, well before the industrial revolu- tioned, one of the benefits of fermentation is that tion. For this reason, it is a cooking method that it creates an acidic environment that impedes the until now has been predominately done by hand. spread of new bacteria. For this reason, food that Korean families pass down their secret kimchi rec- goes through this process has a very long shelf life. ipes from generation to generation over the years, with almost everyone having their own special method and jars to make it. In olive-growing regions of Spain, families pick- le their own olives to consume as an appetizer. The fungus that enables the production of kefir is shared between friends and family so that it can be made at home. Brewing kombucha has also become as zen as having a bonsai tree - those who do it at home share pictures of their SCOBY on Instagram. Despite all this, there are more and more commer- cial brands that have standardized many processes and flavors, making these products more widely available on the market. This benefits consumers greatly, bearing in mind that the unique homemade processes take more time and effort. Image: Lancaster online Image: Lancaster The problem lies in organolepsy. In order to main- tain its desired flavor throughout its shelf life, the product must be kept refrigerated, because at room temperature the process of fermentation will con- tinue and as a result, alter the food further. Image: Unsplash 8 Rediscovering Fermented Foods Popular Probiotic 2 Fermented Foods and their history Image: Gourmet Project 9 Rediscovering Fermented Foods Fermented Food Around the World Tepache Kiviak Sauerkraut Kefir Soy sauce Miso paste Chicha Yogurt Kvass Kimchi Coconut cream Pulque Iru Kombucha Natto Fermented foods around the world Fermented foods have played a large role in the history and gastronomy of many cultures all over the world. Some of them are internationally known such as sauerkraut or pickles, but others are also finding their place further away from home like kombucha or miso. In a highly globalized world, it’s hardly surprising that these centuries-old traditions can travel so rapidly to new markets. For this reason, we will elaborate on a few of these fermented foods so that you may familiarize yourself with them in advance. 10 Rediscovering Fermented Foods Sauerkraut Kefir Lactic fermentation that combines cabbage leaves Dairy fermented by the presence of yeasts, fungi with salt, forming a natural brine with the juice of and bacteria (Lactobacillus), similar to yogurt and the leaves. made with any type of animal milk. Kefir grains can also be fermented in sugar water to make the well- One of the most renowned fermented foods is of known kefir water. Some kefirs can also be slightly course sauerkraut. Although the biggest consumers carbonated. of the fermented cabbage are mainly Central Europeans in countries like Germany, Poland, and Although many legends have surrounded kefir for Russia or in French Alcasia, this millenary recipe centuries, what is definitely clear is that it originated originally stems from China. It was the Mongolians from the Caucasian Mountains, where shepherds that were in charge of bringing sauerkraut over to stored milk in leather pouches so that it fermented Eastern Europe, where the production technique into a sour yogurt. Over the course of history, many was shaped by the Jewish population of those miraculous powers have been attributed to kefir and countries.