Precision Fermentation Perfected: Fermentation 101

Precision fermentation is a promising innovation that enables us to create animal products using microorganisms and a computer database.

Rapidly gaining prominence for its ability to produce food ingredients at scale, precision fermentation is fast becoming a key pillar in the alternative protein space.

Still, public awareness of this relatively new technology has yet to catch up.

Keen on getting up to speed? Here’s everything you need to know about precision fermentation—and more!

What IS fermentation anyway?

Traditional fermentation has been around for centuries as a way to preserve and increase the nutritional value of foods. Fermentation uses microorganisms (also called microbes) to chemically transform the composition of food through enzymes, which are a type of protein that start a series of chemical reactions. Common foods made via fermentation include cheese, yogurt, beer, miso, kombucha, and kimchi.

One of the earliest known instances of fermentation dates back to 1700-1100 BCE with the production of honey wine in Asia. People at the time understood the concept of allowing foods to transform over time, such as the transformation of grapes and barley into alcoholic beverages, but it wasn’t until much later that the science behind fermentation was fully understood.

In 1876 CE, French microbiologist Louis Pasteur discovered the role that microbes play in fermentation. Through his experiments, Pasteur found that microorganisms ferment to produce the nutrients they need in oxygen deficient environments.

This is called anaerobic respiration. In the absence of oxygen, microbes convert sugars into alcohol or lactic acid to create a fermented final product. In this way, fermentation has been a key method of food production for centuries.