The document discusses the process and history of fermentation, particularly focusing on vegetable fermentation and its significance in food preservation and enhancement of sensory qualities. It details various types of fermentation conditions, examples of fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut and kimchi, and the biochemical processes involved in their production. Additionally, it highlights the health benefits of fermented foods and mentions various companies involved in the industry, both in India and abroad.

1. PRESENTED BY
Jala Joshna
Msc. Food science, Nutrition and
Dietetics

2. INTRODUCTION
• Fermentation is a metabolic process in which an organism
converts a carbohydrate into alcohol and/or acid.
• Vegetable fermentation is a technique whereby, starches and
sugars in vegetables are converted into lactic acid by lactic-
acid-producing bacteria.
• It originated from the preserving effect on the product.
• It not only preserves food but also enhances the sensory
qualities of the final product.

3. HISTORY
• Fermentation is one of the oldest forms of food
preservation technologies in the world.
• The first reference of fermented vegetables was found
in China during the construction of the Great Wall in III
century B.C. and constituted the basis of the workers'
diet
• Pickled cucumbers originated in the Tigris Valley, or
modern-day Iraq, in 2,000 BCE.
• In 1500 CE, Fermentation of sauerkraut and yoghurt
took place.

4. EXAMPLES OF FERMENTED VEGETABLES

6. CONDITIONS OF FERMENTATION
Lactic acid fermentation of vegetables can be carried out under these basic types of conditions.
1. Dry salted: With dry salting, the vegetable is treated with dry salt. The salt extracts the juice
from the vegetable and creates the brine. Eg sauerkraut, dry salted pickled cucumbers etc
2. Brine Salted: Brine is used for vegetables which inherently contain less moisture. A brine
solution is prepared by dissolving salt in water (a 15 to 20% salt solution) Eg Pickled
cucumbers, Kimchi, Olives, Raddish etc
3. Non-salted: Vegetables are fermented by lactic acid bacteria. without the prior addition of
salt or brine E.g Gundruk, Sinki, Fermented tea leaves etc.

7. SAUERKRAUT
 Country: Germany
 Major Ingredients: Cabbage, Salt
 Usage: Salad, Side Dish
 Product Description: Fermented shredded
cabbage. The product has a sour taste with a
clean acid flavor.
 Microorganisms: L. mesenteroides, Lactobacillus
brevis, Pediococcus cerevisiae and Lb. plantarum
 Starter Culture: Natural Microflora, commercial
starter cultures are available. Sometimes
backslopping.

8. Salting
• The level of salting is critical to obtaining a satisfactory product, it must be
within the range 2-3% w/w and is normally about 2.25%.
• Too little salt (<2%) and the product softens unacceptably, too much salt
(>3%) and the correct microbial sequence is not obtained.
The salt serves a number of purposes:
(i) it extracts moisture from the shredded cabbage by osmosis to form the brine
in which the fermentation will take place;
(ii) it helps to inhibit some of the natural microflora of the cabbage such as
pseudomonads which would otherwise cause spoilage and helps to select for
the lactic acid bacteria;
(iii) it helps maintain the crisp texture of the cabbage by withdrawing water and
inhibiting. endogenous pectolytic enzymes which cause the product to soften;
(iv) finally, salt contributes to the flavour of the product.

9. Fermentation
• The starter for sauerkraut production is usually the normal mixed flora of
cabbage.
• The raw material has a large number of undesirable organisms and a
small population of lactic acid bacteria (<1%)
• Among the lactic acid bacteria, most are Lactococcus spp. and
Leuconostoc spp., and a small fraction is Lactobacillus spp. and
Pediococcus spp.
• During fermentation, sequential growth of these lactic acid bacteria
occurs.

10. • The presence of 2.25% salt, large amounts of fermentable sugars
(sucrose, hexoses, pentoses), an absence of oxygen, and a low
fermentation temperature facilitate Leuconostoc spp., primarily Leu.
mesenteroides, to grow rapidly.
• When the acidity has reached approximately 1% (as lactic acid), growth of
Leu. mesenteroides slows down.
• Then Lab. brevis starts growing rapidly until acid production reaches
approximately 1.5%.
• Then Ped. pentosaceus takes over and increases the acidity to
approximately 1.8%.
• Finally, Lab. plantarum starts growing and brings the acid level to
approximately 2%.

11. Biochemistry
• Leuconostoc spp. metabolize sucrose, hexoses, and some pentoses in the
raw material to lactate, acetate, ethanol, CO2, and diacetyl.
• Lab. brevis (obligatory heterofermentative, such as Leuconostoc spp.)
ferments sucrose, hexoses, and pentoses to products similar to those by
Leuconostoc spp.
• Ped. pentosaceus metabolizes hexoses to form mainly lactic acid and some
pentoses to lactic acid, acetate, and ethanol.
• Lab. plantarum also produces products from sucrose, hexoses, and
pentoses similar to those by Ped. pentosaceus.
• The characteristic flavor of sauerkraut is the result of the combined effects of
lactate, acetate, ethanol, CO2, and diacetyl in proper amounts.

12. KIMCHI
 Region: Korea
 Major Ingredients: Chinese Cabbage, Asian
Radish, Red Pepper, Ginger, Garlic, Salt
 Usage: Salad, Side Dish
 Product Description: Fermented shredded
cabbage. The product has a sour taste with a
clean acid flavor.
 Microorganisms: L. mesenteroides, Lactobacillus
brevis, Pediococcus cerevisiae and Lb. plantarum,
 Starter Culture: Natural Microflora, commercial
starter cultures are available.

13. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KIMCHI AND
SAUERKRAUT

14. • Biochemistry and fermentation aspects of Kimchi are similar to
sauerkraut.
• The best taste is claimed after 3 days at 20C when the acidity is
0.6% and the pH around 4.2.
• Leuconostoc mesenteroides is the principal organism
responsible for the fermentation
• Dominance of Lactobacillus plantarum is regarded as a defect
which results in an excessively sour product.

15. OLIVES
 Region: Mediterranean
 Major Ingredients: Olives, Brine
 Usage: Salad, Side Dish
 Microorganisms: L.mesenteroides,
Lactobacillus brevis, Pediococcus
cerevisiae and Lb. plantarum,
 Starter Culture: Natural Microflora,
commercial starter cultures are

16. The initial pH of the fermentation can be above 7 depending on how much
washing was done after the NaOH treatment.
As a consequence, the initial microflora during fermentation can include a
variety of gram-positive bacilli (Bacillus species) and gram-negative enteric
bacteria (Enterobacter, Citrobacter, Klebsiella, and Escherichia).
As organic acids accumulate and the pH decreases below 6, the LAB,
principally Lb. plantarum, dominate the fermentation to the exclusion of the
other gram-positive and gram-negative microbes.
Yeast species may also be present (Candida, Pichia, Saccharomyces, and
others) and contribute desirable flavor characteristics to the brined olives.

17. PICKLES
 Region: North America, Germany
 Major Ingredients: Cucumber,
Spices, Dill etc
 Usage: Salad, Side Dish
 Microorganisms; Lactobacillus
brevis, Pediococcus cerevisiae and
Lb. plantarum,
 Starter Culture: Natural Microflora,
commercial starter cultures are
available. Sometimes backslopping.

18. Gundruk
• Gundruk is a fermented food prepared from leaves of rayo-saag, mustard, or cauliflower.
• popular food in Nepal.
• Leaves are wilted and shredded, crushed mildly and kept for natural fermentation in
earthened jars/ container, made air tight for about 7-10 days and sun dried for 3-4days
after completion of fermentation.
• The predominant microorganisms found as Lactic acid bacteria comprising Lactobacillus,
Leuconostoc, and Pediococcusas. Lactobacillus fermentum, L. plantarum.

19. Sinki
 similar to gundruk but it is prepared from
radish tap roots.
 Region or state: Nepal, Darjeeling district,
Sikkim , Bhutan
 Traditionally prepared by "pit fermentation".
 Microorganisms observed as Lactobacillus
fermentum, L. brevis and L. plantarum.
 It is an effective appetizer, cures diarrhea,
stomach pain and consumed mostly during
the lean period.
Radish tap root
↓
Wash and cut into approx 6-
10 cm length
↓
Wilt (2-3 days)
↓
Tamping in pit/bamboo
basket/glass container
↓
Ferment naturally for 7-21
days
↓
Sun dried for 3-5 days
↓
Sinki

20. ADVANTAGES
Enhancing Food Quality and Safety
• Nutritional quality of food can be enhanced by fermentation, which may
improve the digestibility and beneficial components of fermented food.
Removal of Antinutrient Compounds
• These can be removed or detoxified by the action of microorganisms
during fermentation process.
Prevention of food borne illnesses
• LAB modify the intestinal microbiota positively and prevent the colonization
of other enteric pathogens.

21. Biopreservation
• LAB play a defining role in the preservation and microbial safety of fermented
foods, thus promoting the microbial stability of the final products of
fermentation.
Production of new flavors
• fermentation creates dozens of new flavor components, hence enhance taste
and flavor
Other health benefits
• LAB strains also improve the digestive functions, enhance the immune
system, reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, control the serum cholesterol
levels

22. COMPANIES
IN INDIA
➤ Kaksoi
➤ Urban platter
➤ Hands on tummy
➤ Neo foods
FOREIGN COMPANIES
➤ Borges
➤ Del Monte
➤ Best Maid

23. REFERENCES
1. Fermented Foods: Past, Present and Future by Ramesh C. Ray and Vinod Joshi
2. Food Microbiology: Fundamentals and Frontiers, 4th Ed. Edited by M. P. Doyle and
R. L. Buchanan
3. Food Microbiology by William C. Frazier
4. Swain M.; Anandharaj M.; Ramesh C. Ray; and Rani R. (2014). Fermented Fruits and
Vegetables of Asia: A Potential Source of Probiotics. Biotechnology Research
International Volume 2014, Article ID 250424
5. Voidarou C.; Antoniadou, M.; Rozos, G.; Tzora, A.; Skoufos, I.; Varzakas, T.; Lagiou,
A.; Bezirtzoglou, E. Fermentative Foods: Microbiology, Biochemistry, Potential
Human Health Benefits and Public Health Issues. Foods (2021), 10, 69.