Fermentation and Food Microbiology

Probiotics

Probiotics are live microbial food supplements that beneficially affect the host animal by improving its intestinal microbial balance. Literally "pro-bios" means "for life"

Prebiotics

Prebiotics have been defined as nondigestible food ingredients (usually carbohydrates) that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon.

Synbiotics

Synbiotics are products, which combine probiotics and prebiotics

Starter culture

Culture of bacteria used to start a fermentation process, such as the lactic acid fermentation process for making yogurt.

Fermentation

The process where carbohydrates are converted into alcohol, carbon dioxide, and/or organic acids. Fermentation is a form of anaerobic digestion that generates ATP by the oxidation of certain organic compounds, such as carbohydrates.

Lactic Acid Fermentation

Fermentation process in which pyruvate is reduced into lactic acid through the oxidation of NADH.

Homolactic Fermentation

Type of lactic acid fermentation where sugars are converted into lactic acid.

Heterolactic Fermentation

Type of lactic acid fermentation where sugars are fermented into a wide range of products. Heterolactic fermentation includes Alcoholic fermentation: a process in which some sugars (as glucose) are converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide by the action of various yeasts, molds, or bacteria on carbohydrate materials (as dough or sugar solutions) some of which do not themselves undergo fermentation but can be hydrolyzed into fermentable substances (as in the production of alcohol and alcoholic beverages)

Milk kefir

Water kefir

Kombucha

Yogurt

Lactobacillus sp.

Wild yeast

Penicillium roqueforti

Is the blue mold in blue cheese

Penicillium camemberti

Causes the white outer layer in Camembert cheese

Propionibacterium

Produces gas and causes holes in Swiss cheese

Saccharomyces cerevisiae

yeast

SCOBY

Symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast usually found in kombucha, may also be found in wine vinegar and vinegar cultures.

Antibiotics

Drugs that block the growth and reproduction of bacteria. The first being of penicillin discovered by Alexander Flemming.