CulturallyFermented

Alookintodifferentculturesfermentedfood

ByChristopherHom

Fermentation has been used all over the world

for some time now. Little organisms eating
away at the food, making itmoredeliciousand
nutritious. Scientists have documented the
fermentation of foods in China dating
70006000 BCE, 3150 BCE in Egypt, 3000
BCE in Babylon, 2000 BCE in preHispanic
Mexico and1500BCinSudan.Nowthatwasa
pretty long time ago. It wasnt until a man
named Louis Pasteur came along in 1857, and
showed that lactic acid fermentation was
caused by actual organisms. After many years,
and many experiments, it was soon realized
that fermentation was caused by enzymes that
were produced from microbes. Now humans
cant really take the credit for inventing, or
coming up withfermentation.Youhavetogive
thatcredittomothernatureforthat.

But, even though it wasnt really until the

1800s for the science of enzymes and
microbes were being studied, different
countries and cultures around the world were
using the power or enzymes to make their
food last through thecoldseasons,ortomake
it tasty and nutritious. Since the invention of
the refrigerator fermented foods are slowly
disappearing from the western world but are
now fermented dishes are seen sometimes as
delicaciesaroundtheworld.

Even though fermented foods might not have

the best smell to them, or may look the most
appetizing, they are very nutritious, packed
with many vitamins and good bacteria for
your stomach. In a lot of different cultures,
fermented foodsareconsumedfortheirhealth
benefitsforthousandsofyears.

Fermentationistheexhalation
ofasubstancethroughthe
admixtureofafermentwhich,
byvirtueofitsspirit,penetrates
themassandtransformsitinto
itsownnature.

Many of these foods are a huge part of the

cultures diet. For example, Soy sauce is
consumed throughout the world and is a
fundamental ingredient in diets from
Indonesia to Japan. Over one billionlitresare
produced each year in Japan alone. Then in
Nepali,
Gundruk,
which is fermented
vegetables, is made to provide food security
for people living in rural areas.
Gundruk
is
very important because it supplies people
with important nutrients that they cannot get
in the winter seasons. In Africa fermented
cassava products (like
gari and
fufu
) are a
major componentofthedietofmore than800
million people and in some areas these
products constitute over 50% of the diet. But
in Iceland, Hakarl, which is fermented shark
is seen as a delicacy. But it is usually eaten
for nutrition and for stomach problems. So
fermented foods play a huge role in culture
andindiet.

Many fermented dishes are staples ofpeoples

diets around the world. Natto, which is
fermented soybeans, is commonly eaten for
breakfast.

Even though there are many sources for the

origin of natto, it dates back between 1086
AD and 1088 AD. So it has been a staple in
their diets for a very long time. Another
fermented food, which is sacred to the
Polynesians, is Poi. Poi is fermented taro,
which is likeapotato,andismixedwithflour
and milk. Hawaiins believed that Poi, was
the original ancestor of the hawaiian people,
and that the legendary spirit of Haloa,
inhabited every bowl of Poi. And in India,
there everyday meals consist of fermented
vegetables and meats. Thats why, theyhavea
lot more gut microbes then somebody living
in theU.S.Sotherearejustsomeexamplesof
fermenteddishesaroundtheworld.

So fermented dishes have been enjoyed and

used all over the world. It is mothers natures
doing. Different cultures and countries have
been using fermentationtostorefood, tokeep
a well balanced diet, and to just enjoy the
flavorsthatcomefromfermentation.