Lacto-fermentation is a natural process used to preserve food. Before the advent of modern refrigeration equipment people benefited from the ability to store vitamin C-rich vegetables over the winter months, but now the main positive is the healthy bacteria produced in the process.
Foods from around the world
Many cultures around the world invented their own fermented dishes, each very different from the next. The most famous ones today are probably the German sauerkraut and the Korean kimchee, but there are many others including ogi (an African fermented millet porridge) and kefir (a Russian fermented milk drink). It is possible to ferment a wide variety of food and create many new, nutritious recipes. The only limit is your imagination!
The science
Lacto-fermentation occurs when Lactobacillus bacteria, naturally present on the surface of food, break down the sugars to create lactic acid. When this occurs in the absence of air the Lactobacillus are able to out-compete potentially dangerous bacteria to create a safe food that doesn’t rot.