Chances are, you’ve probably tasted some form of fermented food or drink at some stage in your life. Quite possibly, you’ve not always known that something you’ve had has been fermented. Take wine, kimchi, bread, and tea, for example – all are made using fermentation.
Fermentation is a naturally occurring process that promotes the growth and life cycle of ‘good’ bacteria or yeasts, to transform the taste and shelf life of ingredients. The process converts carbohydrates to alcohol and carbon dioxide or organic acids, and can only be conducted in the absence of oxygen. This all serves to create the much-loved tangy flavour, and sour environment that keeps the growth of any ‘bad’ bacteria at bay.