Translations:AY Honors/Fermentation/Answer Key/60/en

1. Preservation: Fermentation preserves food by creating acidic environments bad microbes can’t survive. Example: Sauerkraut—cabbage lasts months, feeding Germans through winter. Why Ferment? Before fridges, fermentation was a lifeline. Lactic acid from bacteria (Lactobacillus) lowers pH, stopping spoilage. Sauerkraut’s tang meant families had veggies when fields were bare, a God-given way to stretch harvests.
2. Flavour Enhancement: Fermentation adds complex, tangy, or umami tastes. Example: Miso—soybeans gain savoury depth for Japanese soups. Why Ferment? Microbes break down sugars, creating new flavours. Miso’s months-long fermentation with Aspergillus mould makes bland beans rich, turning simple broth into comfort food. It’s God’s recipe for delight!
3. Nutritional Benefits: Fermentation boosts vitamins and digestibility. Example: Yoghurt—milk gains probiotics, easier to digest. Why Ferment? Bacteria pre-digest nutrients, upping B vitamins and lactose breakdown. Yoghurt’s Lactobacillus helps lactose-intolerant folks, a health gift God hid in microbes.
4. Cultural Tradition: Fermentation ties to heritage, shaping identity. Example: Kimchi—Korea’s spicy badge of family meals. Why Ferment? Recipes pass down generations, like kimchi’s chilli-cabbage mix, made in communal “kimjang” days. It’s not just food—it’s Korea’s heart, God’s way of knitting cultures.
5. Safety: Fermentation kills harmful bacteria via acidity. Example: Pickles—cucumbers stay safe in vinegar brine. Why Ferment? Acetic acid (from vinegar fermentation) wipes out pathogens like E. coli. Pickles crunch safely for months, showing God’s clever safety net in nature.
6. Economic Value: Fermentation adds value to cheap ingredients. Example: Tempeh—soybeans become protein-rich meat substitute. Why Ferment? Rhizopus mould turns low-cost beans into tempeh, a pricey Indonesian staple. Farmers profit, families eat well—God’s economy at work!