Fermentation in food processing and the ancient kitchen chemistry of preservation (an epic tale)!
You are already an avid fan of the results of food preservation. Who doesn’t love the satisfying crunch of a fresh pickle? A ferment connoisseur might have three separate kimchis in the fridge, and that’s just the basics. But you’re wondering about the magic of fermentation in food processing and just how your favorite sauerkraut went from plain old cabbage to tangy, crunchy condiment. It’s a story as old as time, with plenty of drama. Read on!
Need a delicious fermented snack while you read? Order our bold, vibrant, healing foods, always raw and unpasteurized, from the Hosta Hill store!
Some preservation lingo
Before we get into the high drama of fermentation (trust us, it’s super dramatic on the molecular level), let’s break down some terminology.
According to Encyclopedia Brittanica:
Food processing includes operations by which raw food is made suitable for storage. Food processing also includes the alteration of a food product into another form, as in the alchemy of fermentation!
Food preservation is defined as any of several methods by which food is kept from spoiling. Preservation practices date to prehistoric times, and among the oldest methods of preservation is fermentation.
Fermentation in food processing: a tale as old as time
The unique and creative flavors in Hosta Hill’s cultured vegetables develop slowly through wild fermentation, a process that preserves and actually enhances the nutrient availability of the vegetables we work with. Specifically, we use a process called Lacto-fermentation.
It sounds like it has to do with milk, but Lacto-fermentation actually refers to our salt-tolerant bacteria friends, Lactobacillus. You can think of them as the good guys in this story.
Who are the bad guys? The bacteria and microorganisms that could be harmful to us, because they rot food or make us sick. Luckily they can’t stand up to the salt. The harmful bacteria get wiped out in the first steps of fermentation when the veggies are submerged in brine.
But that’s not the end of the tale, it’s just part 1!
Next, the naturally occurring lactobacilli bacteria on the vegetables use their magic to convert sugars and starches into lactic acid. The acidic environment created by Lacto-fermentation keeps food crunchy and gives it that distinctive tangy flavor. Plus harmful yeast and mold can’t survive in those conditions. The result is a living food that keeps fermenting – continuing to fight the bad guys while keeping food fresh and delicious!
Fermentation in food processing is an ancient practice that predates refrigeration by a couple thousand years. Lacto-fermentation prevents harmful bacteria from growing and extends the shelf-life of food, therefore reducing food waste!
Plus, research shows that the live cultures in foods processed via fermentation positively impact digestive and immune health in myriad ways, and make the nutrients in foods more accessible to your body! Our heroes.
Ready to eat? Hosta Hill is a family-owned, women-run business, committed to producing high-quality, naturally fermented Sauerkraut, Kimchi, and Hot Sauce. Packaged by hand and sold raw and unpasteurized, we take pride in our bold, vibrant healing foods.
Check out our offers online, or see where you can get yours locally in New England and New York!