5. Using microbial operators: fermented foods

Fermented foods have been around for a very long time: foods obtained by fermentation, resembling our bread, fermented beverages (beer and wine), fermented milks and cheeses, already existed around 6,000 BC. The benefits of fermented foods are manifold.

Through their metabolism, micro-organisms - mainly bacteria and yeasts - produce inhibiting molecules that slow down or even prevent the growth of spoilage and/or pathogenic germs. The food's shelf-life is extended, it can be transported without any particular precautions, such as temperature (as in the case of certain cheeses) and, above all, its consumption can be deferred. The main objective is to preserve: processing milk into cheese is a means of stabilizing it so that it can be consumed long after collection.

Fermentation micro-organisms play a major role in developing the organoleptic...