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Fermentation & fermentation products

How natural processes enrich our diet

Fermentation is one of the biggest food trends of recent years, but it is also one of the oldest tricks in food production. In this newsletter, we explain what exactly fermentation is, what its benefits are and how fermentation can be used for food supplements.

Fermenting diversity - fermentation and
fermented foods

Fermentation (lat. fermentatio = fermentation) describes a process in which enzymes or microorganisms (e.g. bacteria, fungi) convert organic compounds to form acid, gases and/or alcohol. These are the little helpers, so to speak, that make the fermentation process possible in the first place, for example by converting sugar into lactic acid or alcohol. The process can take place with oxygen (aerobic) or without oxygen (anaerobic). Anaerobic types of fermentation are, for example, lactic acid fermentation and alcoholic fermentation. Aerobic fermentation includes acetic acid fermentation.

Fermentation has been used for almost 10,000 years. The earliest evidence of the use of fermentation methods can be found around 7,000 years before Christ in China, where the first alcoholic drink was fermented from fruit, rice and honey.

The following foods, for example, are produced using fermentation:

  • Plant-based foods such as sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers, kimchi, tempeh, miso, natto and certain types of tea (e.g. pu-erh tea, kombucha)

  • Dairy products such as yoghurt, buttermilk, kefir and cheese (our new product Mellow Yellow consists of fermented whey protein)

  • Raw sausages such as Mettwurst and salami

  • Sourdough bread

  • Lacto-fermented fish (e.g. surströmming)

  • Alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer and whisky

Fermentation is also used in biotechnology. For example, organic acids (e.g. citric acid, acetic acid), bioethanol, biogas, amino acids and pharmaceutical products such as antibiotics are produced.

Fermentation products - shelf life &
digestibility in a combined package

Zwei Hände halten einen Zettel mit smiley vor einen Bauch

But what are the benefits of fermenting food? On the one hand, fermented foods have a longer shelf life due to the lactic or acetic acid produced during fermentation and the associated lower pH value. Many germs responsible for food spoilage grow significantly worse in an acidic environment. On the other hand, fermented foods are often easier to digest, as the microorganisms required for fermentation have already "pre-digested" parts of the food.

The microorganisms contained in fermented foods are said to have a positive effect on the human intestinal flora and therefore on health. Some of them produce important nutrients that can be absorbed via the intestine. Fermentation products therefore often contain higher amounts of certain vitamins and minerals. A study by Stanford University showed that the diversity of bacteria in the intestine increases and the immune response improves when a high proportion of fermented foods are consumed over a longer period of time1.

The taste of fermented foods also changes compared to the original food - new aromas and flavors emerge.

Food trend: fermented raw materials

Even though fermentation is a technique that is thousands of years old, many people are now rediscovering the trend of making their own yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and pickled vegetables. We also appreciate fermentation because of its positive effect on the gut, which is why we Mellow Yellow - a recipe with fermented whey protein in the exotic vanilla flavor - for our trade fair appearance at Vitafoods 2025. We already presented this to you in detail in our last newsletter for the trade fair.

But it's not just whey protein powder that is available in fermented form. Fermented plant-based raw materials such as fermented soybean extract, fermented turmeric powder and fermented yeast are also available on the market - usually in the form of exclusive, high-quality branded raw materials. The raw materials can generally be used in powders and capsules. With powder products, you should be aware that fermented raw materials often have a sour note, so it is best to combine them with tangy flavors such as lemon, raspberry, tropical, yogurt, etc.

In the case of tablets, the tableting properties of the raw material and the overall formulation must be tested in order to determine their suitability for use in tablet products. The main area of application for fermented raw materials are products for intestinal health due to the benefits listed with regard to the intestinal microbiome.

Grüne Pfeile zeigen nach oben rechts. In der Mitte steht Start your BHI journey now

Are you curious and would like to develop a recipe on the topic of gut health together with us? Feel free to contact us and we will help you, metaphorically speaking, with the fermentation of your idea and its transformation into a finished product!

 

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1med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2021/07/fermented-food-diet-increases-microbiome-diversity-lowers-inflammation(Last accessed on 16.06.2025)

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