Fermentation

Metabolic process in which carbohydrates and related compounds are partially oxidized with the release of energy in the absence of any external electron acceptors. The final electron acceptors are organic compounds produced directly from the breakdown of the carbohydrates

Slides thanks to V. Trinetta

Examples of Fermented Foods

LACTIC ACID BACTERIA

Major Groups of Fermentative Microorganisms 11 Gram-positive genera Carnobacterium Enterococcus Lactococcus Lactobacillus Lactosphera Leuconostoc Oenococcus Pediococcus Streptococcus Teragenococcus Weissella Vagococcus

Oenococcus oeni Lactobacillus

LACTIC ACID BACTERIA GROWTH

The lactic acid bacteria are mesophiles: 10oC < range < 40oC 25oC < Toptimum < 35oC some 5 or 45oC 4 < pH< 8 some 3.2 or 9.6

LACTIC ACID BACTERIA

All produce lactic acid from hexoses As fermenting organisms, they do not have a functional TCA cycle Energy is obtained by substrate-level phosphorylation while oxidizing carbohydrates

LACTIC ACID BACTERIA

LAB can be divided into two groups lactic acid homofermentative lactic acid, ethanol and CO2 heterofermentative

HOMOFERMENTATIVE LAB
Anaerobic glycolysis for glucose utilization Glucose 2 Pyruvate 2 Lactate Net energy yield: 2 mole ATP/mole glucose

ATP

ATP

HETEROFERMENTATIVE LAB
Glucose Lactic acid (~50%) + Ethanol + CO2 Can also form acetate Net energy yield: 1 mole ATP/mole glucose Additional biochemical pathways to obtain energy

ATP

THE PROPIONIC BACTERIA

THE GENUS SACCHAROMYCES

Saccharomyces Found naturally on grapes Many strains are commercially available Aerobic or anaerobic metabolism Alcohol is produced anaerobically Glucose Ethanol CO2

GLUCOSE 2 ATP 4 ATP Hexose Isomerase A 2 Lactate 2 ATP Phosphoketolase B Lactate Ethanol PYRUVATE 2H 2H D Lactate E CO2 Ethanol F Propionate,acetate , CO2 Acetic acid 4 ATP 1 ATP 2 ATP

C Propionyl-Coa succinat e Propiona te Succiny l-CoA

WHY WE FERMENT FOODS???

FOOD PRESERVATION/ SHELF LIFE EXTENSION

IMPROVE ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTIC

INCREASE NUTRITIONAL VALUE

Worldwide production of some fermented foods

Quantity (t) 15 million 3 million 1.5 million 300 000 250 000 Beverage Beer Wine

Food Cheese Yoghurt Mushrooms Fish sauce Dried stockfish

Quantity (hl) 1000 million 350 million

CONTROLLED VS. NATURAL FERMENTATION

Natural fermentation

Controlled fermentation

SOME EXAMPLES OF STARTER CULTURES:

Lactic starters always include bacteria that convert sugars to lactic acid, usually: Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris Lactococccus lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis. Where flavour and aroma compounds such as diacetyl are desired the lactic acid starter will include heterofermentative organisms such as: Leuconostoc citrovorum Leuconostoc dextranicum
(single, mix or multiples strain, mix or multiples species)

 Multiple strains involved in fermentation of some food products Interdependency between strains Growth and death of one strain allows growth of another strain Speed ripening of cheese ($)
CFU or PFU
Bacteria

Succession

Bacteria

Time