Fermentation

In its strictest sense, fermentation (formerly called zymnosis) is the energy-yielding anaerobic metabolic breakdown of a nutrient molecule, such as glucose, without net oxidation. Fermentation yields lactate, acetic acid, ethanol, or some other simple product.

Related Topics:
Lactate - Acetic acid - Ethanol

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Fermentation is also used much more broadly to refer to the bulk growth of microorganisms on a growth medium. No distinction is made between aerobic and anaerobic metabolism when the word is used in this sense.

Related Topics:
Microorganism - Growth medium - Aerobic - Anaerobic

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This process is often used to produce or preserve food. Fermentation typically refers to the fermentation of sugar to alcohol using yeast, but other fermentation processes include the making of yogurt. The science of fermentation is known as zymology.

Related Topics:
Sugar - Alcohol - Yeast - Yogurt - Zymology

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Fermentation usually implies that the action of the microoganisms is desirable. Occasionally wines are enhanced through the process of cofermentation.

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