NOTE: For this article when I say “produce” I am referring to vegetables and fruits, but with vegetables particularly more in mind. For the sake of simplicity, I will use cabbage when an example is needed as nearly all are familiar with sauerkraut.
Please note, this is a generalized article about fermentation as a whole. Each type of ferment will require its own unique conditions in order to be successful, so because of this, no recipe is given in this article.
Understanding Basics Prior to Fermentation
Fermentation is the process whereby microorganisms that are naturally present on the surface of produce go to work to turn that healthy cabbage into something even healthier sauerkraut! Now let’s back up and understand a few things.
- these microorganisms are bacteria, yeast, and fungi. (Don’t be scared, they can be good guys.)
- microorganisms are on the surface of our fruits and veggies, and our produce gets these microbes from the soil in which they are growing. (Notice the white stuff on the purple cabbage in the above picture? All raw produce is coated in this white film called bloom, which are the microbes.) Healthy soil=healthy food. Side note here: microbes are also found in our air, on grains, and in dairy as well, just to name a few.
- if given the right environment in which to grow and thrive, these microbes will ferment and turn that produce into a food absolutely rich in vitamins and higher minerals, which will be loaded with goodies for optimum gut health. Not only that, but fermenting foods is a form of food preservation! How cool!
- If the environment is not good, those microbes will cause the produce to spoil, rot, and ultimately decompose back into the soil from which it came.
- please note that there are many different types of bacteria, yeast, and fungi on produce. Some produce has more bacteria than yeast and fungi, and the types of bacteria vary between different types of produce such as when comparing apples to cabbage. They both have bacteria but different types.
What is Fermentation
What do the previous two photos have in common?….I’ll wait….that’s right! They both have bubbles on the surface! Those bubbles are showing an active fermentation! Now we can get down to the science behind the bubbles to better understand fermentation. I could do a lot of fancy smancy research and give you big terms and definitions or I could just simply explain it to you like I explained it to my kids when they were little tiny tots. -sigh Are you ready for this mind blowing explanation of where the bubbles come from? Here it goes. There are bacteria, yeast, and fungi on the surface of produce. When these bacteria are given the right environment, they eat the sugars or carbs in the produce and… fart; that’s what the bubbles are. There you go, the end, and you’re welcome!
Yes, that explanation sufficed my children’s curiosity and honestly, it is accurate even though it is so very simple.
Three Types of Fermentation
As I said there are different types of bacteria, yeasts, and fungi present on produce. Each of these come in varying types and numbers and each have their own preferred method of being cultivated.
Some are good guys, hello Lactobacillus, and some are bad, stay away Listeria. Please note Listeria on produce only happens if the soil or the produce is contaminated. However, there are three main types of fermentation.
1. Lactic Acid Fermentation
2. Acetic Acid Fermentation
3. Ethyl Alcohol Fermentation
Lactic Acid Fermentation: The yeasts and probiotic bacteria on the produce eat the carbs (sugars and starches) naturally present in the produce. While eating these carbs, they are actually pre-digesting this food for us. During their feast, they are releasing lactic acid and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is what we are seeing when we see the bubbles. The lactic acid is the tangy, sour taste we experience when we eat fermented pickles, kimchi, or sauerkraut, among others, including sourdough and yogurt. Lactic acid fermentation takes place anaerobically meaning without the presence of oxygen. This is why, while during a lactic acid ferment, we don’t stir or expose the produce to oxygen; we just make sure the produce stays below the brine. The primary bacteria that create a lactic acid ferment are the lactobacillus bacteria, which is where the word “lactic” gets the name.
Acetic Acid Fermentation: Cider vinegar is created during an acetic acid fermentation. Oxygen is needed during an acetic acid fermentation. This is why acetic acid ferments are covered with a cloth or loose lid and they are stirred daily to incorporate oxygen into the ferment. Carbon dioxide bubbles are created during this ferment as well. The primary bacteria that create an acetic acid ferment is the acetobacter bacteria, which is where the word “acetic” comes from.
Ethyl Alcohol Fermentation: This type of ferment is what creates drinking alcohol, beer, and other “booze.” The yeasts in this ferment break down the sugars and convert those sugars into ethyl alcohol, which is the drinking alcohol.
Each of these types of fermentations are essentially the same concept, however each one requires its own unique environment in which to grow and multiply and each type of fermentation is done by different types of microbes.
The Science Behind Fermentation
Under the right conditions, these microbes, no matter the type of fermentation, pre-digest or break down or decompose (whichever term you prefer to use) the produce/food into an energy type molecule called Adenosine Triphosphate or ATP. (You can actually purchase ATP supplements-research it.) ATP is created when one adenosine molecule is connected to three phosphate groups. These molecular chemical compounds are necessary for all living things in order to transport energy and complete all processes during their life.
During this process, that is while pre-digesting the produce, several by-products are produced that gives fermented foods their characteristic flavor and smell.
The Right Environment for Fermentation
In order for fermentation to happen and be successful, the right environment must be cultivated. Did you know that fermenting food is actually another form of food preservation? It is true, in fact, fermentation is one of the oldest forms of food preservation there is. Food preservation means we are creating an environment to where the food will stay heathy and edible for much longer than it would in its raw unpreserved form. In all methods of food preservation such as canning and dehydrating we understand that harmful bacteria cannot grow and thrive in an environment that is acidic, lacks moisture, or lacks oxygen. So how can fermented foods not spoil as they all contain moisture and are exposed to air since they’re not canned? The answer is simply because they are acidic. Your next question may be how do they become acidic? Does one add vinegar like in most pickles? No, absolutely not. In fact, adding vinegar would actually kill off the good microbes that are needed to naturally ferment your food into a superfood. Remember earlier the microbes we were talking about that naturally occur on fresh produce? In the case of using cabbage to make sauerkraut, the bacteria we are wanting to “farm” or to cultivate is Lactobacillus. This bacteria, under the right conditions, will naturally multiply and thrive and will produce lactic acid which in turn creates the acidic environment in which the cabbage will ferment into sauerkraut. This acidic environment will also be too hostile to other microbes, including the bacteria that causes botulism, and the bad guys will die. Because the good microbes are mostly on the outside of the produce, it is important to not scrub or peel or heat the produce you are wishing to ferment. I just simply rinse produce off under cool running water and gently rub with my hands. Many of these microbes work together in the beginning stages of fermentation with only the microbe, in this case, Lactobacillus, being the type able to withstand the highly acidic environment remaining.
The Nutritional Peak of Fermented Foods
Because foods created through fermentation are alive it only makes sense they can eventually die or become weaker and therefore not as beneficial for our optimum health. With this in mind, it is important to know when the best time to consume these living foods is.
Bacteria such as lactobacillus in the case of lactic acid fermentation creates an acidic environment meaning a low pH environment. Bacteria and enzymes have environmental preferences in which they thrive. If their preferences are not met or maintained, they can get weaker and die out. If the pH drops, the number of bacteria and enzymes change.
There actually is a “prime time” to consume probiotic rich fermented foods. That time is just after the food has become fully fermented, but before the living microbes inside the fermented food have consumed all of the fuel and turned the ferment too acidic.
To give you a visual, in the case of yogurt, this would look like once the yogurt has been left too long and begins to separate to develop more and more whey. This is showing you the probiotics have nearly consumed all the available sugars in the milk and are now running out of food, getting weaker, and dying. Vegetable ferments that appear dead have most likely probiotics that ran out of food. Of course, these foods are still safe for you to consume, it’s just the older they are, the more likely they are to contain not only less probiotics and enzymes but also weaker one.
Pros and Cons of Consuming Foods Created by Fermentation
Benefits:
- may help with managing weight
- rich in antioxidants
- increases healthy bacteria in gut
- boosts the body’s immunity
- improves digestion by balancing friendly bacteria, which in turn calms down digestive problems
- makes foods easier to digest as during the fermentation process, the bacteria pre-digest or break down some anti-nutrients and complex carbs in the food
- during fermentation vitamins such as K2 and several B vitamins are produced
- fermented foods help to detoxify your body
- good gut bacteria fight the bad bacteria that wants to take hold in your body and make you sick
- probiotics created during fermentation ooze antimicrobial proteins that kill bad bacteria
- research shows chronic diseases are associated with having a less diverse gut microbiome
- eating fermented foods a couple hours after taking each round of antibiotics helps to restore the good bacteria in your gut that antibiotics kill off
FYI:
the good guys in your gut microbiome need to be fed to stay strong. The food they consume are prebiotic foods and fiber. People who eat more fiber have a more diverse gut bacteria, which is a healthy gut microbiome.
Negatives:
There are a few, rare cases of individuals that cannot handle fermented foods due to their severe health problems. When these people attempt to consume fermented foods, they seem to have negative symptoms triggered. We’ll discuss those cases and possible causes now.
- These people could potentially be having a very strong die-off reaction from consuming fermented foods. If people have very low stomach acid, dysbiosis, or chronic digestive issues, the body may be having a strong reaction to the sudden rush of beneficial microbes into the gut. If this is the case, the remedy would be to introduce probiotic rich foods slowly, very slowly. Allowing the body to slowly and steadily become adapted to these new beneficial guys as those good guys only kill off a few bad guys at a time. Eventually the good guys will overtake, so you won’t have the pain that comes from a sudden die off of the bad guys.
- These people could simply have a weakened immune or histamine response or are just very sensitive to these new beneficial good guys. For these sensitive types of people, wild ferments may not be what they need; instead they may respond better to a stable cultured ferment, which can be done by using an airlock and ensuring that no wild yeasts and bacteria from the air get into the ferment. Or commercial cultured products can be bought.
- Some people may need to see a health care provider to get their gut balanced before switching over to fermented foods for maintenance.
Examples of Foods Created through Fermentation
In hopes of giving you inspiration to pursue fermentation on your own, I will list some foods that I have fermented, and also I will include a carousel of photos of some of those items. Please note this list only includes what I can recall at the moment.
- cabbage into sauerkraut
- curtido (Latin/Spanish sauerkruat)
- cucumbers into pickles
- apple vinegar
- fruits to create a fermentation starter to later create naturally carbonated juice
- fermented juice
- green beans
- carrots
- lemons
- garlic with and without honey
- spicy green tomatoes
- salsa
- yogurt
- sourdough
- oats
- dairy for soft cheese making, butter, and buttermilk
- okra (don’t recommend)
- firm, fresh, red, ripe tomatoes (don’t recommend)
IMPORTANT Things to Know When Fermenting
Yes, fermented sauerkraut is a natural, healthy, and safe method of food preservation, but there are some things you should know.
- It is IMPORTANT that ALL your equipment and hands be clean. They don’t have to be sterilized just a good thorough cleaning is enough, as in hot soapy water, a good washing, and thorough rinsing.
- Use water that is not treated with chlorine and preferably no other treatments or additives such as fluoride etc… I use my own private well tap water. Chlorine will kill the good microbes needed to ferment your produce. Other additives in water may interact or cause your ferment to not be the best. If all you have is chlorinated city-water, then leave some water on the counter overnight with no lid on, this is said to help off-gas the chlorine.
- Fresh produce is best. Because the microbes on the produce is our “starter culture” it only makes sense that they be as healthy and in their prime as possible, which means fresh is best and always aim for organic as well, if possible as organic is the least likely to contain chemicals that could affect your final product. Because the fresh produce contains our starter culture, do not scrub or heat the produce before fermenting. Just a quick rinse will be sufficient.
- When fermenting vegetables, there is no need to add anything other than salt or salt and water to the ferments.
- Place fermenting vessel in a shallow dish to collect any brine that bubbles up and out of the vessel. During the fermentation process, the produce must stay submerged below the brine. This can be achieved by using a cabbage leaf, weight, or simply pushing the produce down a few times a day. The point is any prolonged exposer to air the produce gets, will cause that exposed part to mold. Do your best to have as little headspace (air space) in the jar as this can increase your risk of mold.
- Keep your ferments out of direct sunlight. The length of time it takes for a ferment to finish can vary between homes and throughout the year. It will ferment faster at warmer temperatures and slower at cooler temperatures.
- Once the ferment is finished, keep it stored in the fridge or a cooler part of the house with the lid on tight. The cooler it is kept, the longer it will maintain your preferred flavor and texture. A tight lid will help keep out anything that could cause the kraut to develop an off flavor.
- When wishing to consume your ferment, ONLY use a CLEAN utensil. Do not use a dirty utensil or one that was previously used to remove something out of another jar or container; doing so can contaminate your ferment and cause it to mold.
- Similar to #8, make sure your clean utensil is NOT wet. Do not introduce any water into your ferment. Water does contain bacteria and this added bacteria from the water can cause your ferment to mold.
- If you heat your ferment, it will kill the good bacteria that you just cultivated. It will still taste good, but just know the ferment will no longer contain the beneficial gut healthy bacteria we all need.
- Trust your olfactory sense. If it looks good, smells good, and tastes good, it’s good. When in doubt, throw it out. You’ll know definitely by smell if it’s bad. It won’t be a pleasant smell, but it’ll be repulsive.
Terms to Know
Dysbiosis:
Dysbiosis is an imbalance of good and bad bacteria; this can be on your skin, mouth, or in your gut or anywhere else bacteria lives on or in the body.
Dysbiosis can occur if there is a reduced diversity of bacteria; if there are too few good guys; or too many bad guys.
Dysbiosis is still be studied, and there is quite a bit being uncovered about it. To learn more, you may read this article.
Probiotics:
Probiotics are the beneficial living microbes that live on our food and in our gut.
Antinutrients:
Antinutrients are compounds that are found in some plant based foods, which can prevent your body from being able to absorb all and even using certain nutrients. Anti=against. So antinutrients are against nutrient absorption. Many different types of seeds including grains, beans, and many more contain antinutrients. That sounds bad, but not all antinutrients are bad. It’s all about balance, and know that fermentation can pre-digest these antinutrients making the once unavailable nutrients now readily available and easily absorbable.
Enzyme:
An enzyme is a catalyst in living organisms and is most often a protein molecule containing amino acids. Enzymes regulate the rate in which chemical reactions occur. There is a lot to them, but simply put they regulate the microbes during fermentation. You may learn more here.
Wild Ferment vs. Cultured Ferment:
Wild and cultured ferments go through the same process of fermentation. The only difference is that wild ferments ferment by capturing and using the “wild” yeast and bacteria found on the produce and in the air.
Cultured ferments are ones that have a specific strain of microbes added to the vessel in order to develop and cultivate a specific flavor and texture. My sauerkraut video shows a wild ferment and my yogurt video shows a cultured ferment.
Microbe:
A microbe is a microorganism such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, yeast, protozoa, etc…
Microbiome:
A microbiome is a community of microbes that take up residence in your gut.
