[CH] More on fermentation

Gregory (sclash27@execpc.com)
Tue, 20 Oct 1998 22:13:43 -0600

A few weeks ago I was watching "Food Science" on PBS.  (A television show
that is a broadcast of food science lectures at The University of
Wisconsin-Madison)  On this particular day they explained in detail the
fermentation process of sauerkraut.  The professor named the particular
species of micro-organisms that are involved and the method used to ensure
that those are the micro-organisms that you end up with.  This is what I
remember;

1.  Salt eliminates those that are salt intolerant.
2. Keeping the sauerkraut at room temperature causes to gain predominance
those micro-organisms that can flourish at that temperature.
3. Cutting off the air eliminates those that require it.
4.  One of the micro-organisms that remains produces acid until it expires.
5. the last micro that remains is  anaerobic, salt tolerant, room
temperature flourishing, and acid tolerant.

I was unable to remember which particular micro-organisms were involved, so
I e-mailed UW-Madison to see if I could get a transcript of what I saw on
television.  This is the response I recieved:

Hi Gregory Schultz


I am answering your question based on info. that i got from a book.


<italic>Enterobacter cloacae

Erwinia herbicola

</italic>These are Gram negative bacteria (rods) that decrease in number
with time of fermentation 


<italic>Leuconostoc mesenteroides

</italic>It is a heterotroph that produces lactic acid, Carbon dioxide
and flavor and compounds that stimulate the other Lactobacillu (bacteria
that produce lactic acid )


<italic>Lactobacillus plantarum

</italic>These are the homofermentative bacteria (that produce only acid)
that produce 1.7% lactic acid and dominate the microflora as fermentation
progresses.


Reference: Introduction to Food Fermentation (Text for fermentation
course at Kansas State University) by Daniel Y. C. Fung.