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Beneficial Bacteria. Bacteria aren’t all bad… their just misunderstood. Bacteria in Food. Most people think bacteria in food can only be harmful. Bacteria in Food. However, certain bacteria are safe in food, and are required for the desired taste and texture.
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Beneficial Bacteria Bacteria aren’t all bad… their just misunderstood.
Bacteria in Food • Most people think bacteria in food can only be harmful.
Bacteria in Food • However, certain bacteria are safe in food, and are required for the desired taste and texture.
Fermented Foods: Ancient Traditions • Fermentation is one of the oldest forms of food preservation technologies in the world.
Fermented Foods: Ancient Traditions • Fermentation – biochemical change caused by anaerobic oxidation of carbohydrates by microorganisms or by enzymes. • tempeh
Fermented Foods: Ancient Traditions • Fermented drinks – 7000 years ago in Babylon (now Iraq).
Fermented Foods: Ancient Traditions • Bread-making – 3500 years ago in Egypt.
Fermented Foods: Ancient Traditions • Soy sauce – over one billion liters is produced each year in Japan alone.
Fermented Foods: Ancient Traditions • Fermented cassava products – major component of African diet, 50% for some.
Which foods? • Bacteria are commonly used in dairy products.
Which foods? • Sour cream and Crème fresh are both the product of cream after bacteria were allowed to grow in it.
Which foods? • The difference in flavor, texture, and behavior (only sour cream curdles when heated) all result from the differences in bacteria required to produce the two products.
Which foods? • Buttermilk is low in fat; cheese comes in many varieties so there are many types of microorganisms used.
Which foods? • Yogurt is probably one of the oldest forms of fermented milk.
Which foods? • It may be beneficial to eat diary products with living bacterial cultures.
Which foods? • Vegetables can be fermented too.
Which foods? • Sauerkraut is made of finely cut white cabbage leaves and salt.
Which foods? • Lactic acid bacteria make it taste sour; the salt stops “bad” bacteria from growing.
Which foods? • Olives and pickles are fermented in brine.
What else do good bacteria do? • Nitrogen fixing – all organisms need nitrogen, there’s lots in the air, but few organisms can “use” it.
What else do good bacteria do? • Decay – think of the piles of dead organisms and poop that would be lying around… yuck.
What else do good bacteria do? • Aid in digestion – found in many digestive tracts of different animals… even humans.
What else do good bacteria do? • Activia – brand of yogurt that contains live bacterial cultures.
What else do good bacteria do? • Prevent growth of “bad” microorganisms… after taking antibiotics, some babies get diaper rash