Fermentation Nation: A Journey Through Time and Science

Exploring the ancient roots and modern applications of fermentation, humanity's oldest biotechnological tool.

Slide 1: The Miracle of Microbes: Unlocking Fermentation

Discover how tiny organisms power a process that has shaped civilizations.

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• Ancient Origins: Since ancient times, humans have taken advantage of the natural fermentation process to develop products, including foods, medicines, and fuels. It is humans’ most ancient biotechnological tool.
• Fermentation Defined: A natural process that converts sugars into useful products through chemical reactions carried out by microorganisms, it’s biotechnology’s first use.
• Carl Sagan's Insight: Every kid starts out as a natural-born scientist. Everyone can develop tools that can improve human life, illustrated by their development of fermentation.
• Miracle or Science?: Sumerians and Egyptians produced many foods using fermentation, such as bread, wine, and beer. They commonly viewed fermentation as a miracle provided by their gods.

Slide 2: Brewing Civilizations: Food Preservation & Beyond

From ancient food preservation to modern industries, fermentation's impact is undeniable.

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• Food Preservation Tool: Since those ancient times, fermentation has been used as a tool mainly for food preservation. The use of fermentation is one of the main contributors to humanity’s development.
• Pasteur's Discovery: In the nineteenth century, the scientist Louis Pasteur proposed that fermentation occurs due to the presence of microorganisms.
• Microorganisms Defined: Microorganisms, including bacteria and yeast, are small living cells that we cannot see with the naked eye. Different bacteria perform different types of fermentation.
• Modern Biotechnology: Today, fermentation remains essential to many of the industries that support human society, just as it was in 10,000 B.C.E.!

Slide 3: Breathing Without Air: The Anaerobic Advantage

Uncover the secrets of how cells generate energy without oxygen through fermentation.

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• Energy for Cells: Fermentation is a process in which sugars are used to generate energy for living cells, and this energy is obtained without the need of O2.
• Anaerobic Pathway: Fermentation uses an anaerobic pathway, biochemical reactions that do not require the presence of oxygen. Thus, it represents an alternative way to obtain energy!
• Fermentation Types: Fermenting microorganisms and their by-products define the fermentation type. There are two main types of fermentation, called lactic acid fermentation and alcoholic fermentation.
• Essential Processes: Both types of fermentation are essential for many purposes that are useful for humans. Understanding these fermentation processes is fundamental for improving production.

Slide 4: Lactic Acid Magic: From Milk to Muscles

Explore lactic acid fermentation, its role in food preservation, and energy production.

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• Lactose Breakdown: Lactic acid fermentation starts with a sugar called lactose, and some microorganisms, known as lactic acid bacteria, use lactose to obtain energy.
• Fermentation Products: Fermentation of one molecule of lactose produces two molecules of lactic acid, two molecules of ATP, the most useful energy source in living things, and two molecules of water.
• Preservation Power: The production of lactic acid inhibits the growth of other microorganisms, preventing unwelcome bacteria from rotting the food. Bacteria called Lactobacillus are used.
• ATP Energy: ATP stands for the most useful energy source in living things. Some microorganism use ATP to obtain energy.

Slide 5: Alcoholic Alchemy: Brewing Beer and Beyond

Dive into alcoholic fermentation, its products, and the microorganism behind the process.

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• Glucose Consumption: Alcoholic fermentation is used by yeasts, fungi, and some bacteria, and it uses a sugar called glucose, to produce CO2 gas during the fermentation.
• Fermentation Products: Fermentation of one molecule of glucose produces two molecules of ATP, two molecules of the alcohol called ethanol, two molecules of CO2, and two molecules of water.
• The Boiling Effect: The word “fermentation” comes from the Latin word “fervere,” which means boiling. The bubbles of CO2 produced during the fermentation process make the liquid look like it is boiling.
• Saccharomyces Cerevisiae: The most common microorganism used in industries for alcoholic fermentation is the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Slide 6: Kefir, Kimchi, Cheese: A World of Fermented Foods

Explore diverse food applications of fermentation, from dairy to vegetables.

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• Fermentation is Everywhere: Thanks to this extremely old biotechnological process, we can eat fluffy bread or delicious yogurt, it’s also common to ferment vegetables, such as the cabbage in sauerkraut and kimchi.
• Kefir Defined: Kefir is a dairy product produced by fermentation of milk, which produce a creamy product that resembles yogurt, and production of cheese includes fermentation as a fundamental step.
• Taste Buds: By transformative aspects, we mean the change of one thing flour for example into a product that people want, such as bread, by fermenting the food in our gut.
• Health Concerns: Some microorganisms could make us healthier, well, probiotics are products capable of doing just that. By fermenting the food in our gut these friendly bacteria are able to grow.

Slide 7: Transformative Flavors & Friendly Bacteria

Uncover the transformative, healthful, and flavorful aspects of fermentation in food.

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• Gas Production: The CO2 gas produced by fermentation is fundamental for the bread’s texture and flavor, the bread will have a hard, heavy consistency if yeast isn't added.
• Probiotics Defined: Probiotics are microorganisms capable of improving well-being and gut health and bacteria are able to grow and inhibit pathogen growth.
• Flavor Creation: Fermentation can be pleasing to our taste buds, since this process creates new and complex flavors such as those of yogurt and cheese.
• Pathogen Inhibitor: Friendly-bacteria are able to grow and inhibit pathogen growth, resulting in a healthier gastrointestinal tract.

Slide 8: Beyond Food: Medicines & Microbial Fuels

Discover fermentation's surprising applications in medicine and sustainable energy.

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• Medicinal Uses: Scientists use fermentation to produce some of the medicines we take when we get sick, such as drugs that can destroy or inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria and viruses.
• Penicillin's Origin: During the process of fermentation, fungi of the genus Penicillium produced one of the first antibiotics to be discovered, penicillin, which has saved many thousands of lives.
• Ethanol Production: People put ethanol in their cars, they are enjoying one more benefit of microbial fermentation, ethanol fuel is biofuel, an alternative to gasoline.
• Renewable Energy: Biofuel is considered a renewable source of energy that can be rapidly and infinitely replenished without the need to drill for oil as its source.

Slide 9: From Plants to Power: Ethanol Production

Understand how plants are converted into ethanol fuel through fermentation.

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• Plants into Fuel: Ethanol can be made from a wide range of plants such as corn, sugar cane, or sugar beet because these plants contain sugars that can be used by some yeasts and bacteria to provide energy.
• Sugar Breakdown: When the microorganisms break down the sugars under low levels of oxygen, these sugars are converted into ethanol through fermentation.
• Ethanol use: People can use ethanol to generate power, it helps to decrease polution and preserve the inviroment.
• Low Levels of oxygen: Microorganism can breakdown sugars under low levels of oxygen so sugars can be converted into ethanol through fermentation.

Slide 10: Spread the Word: Fermentation for the Future

Share your knowledge and appreciation for humanity's oldest biotechnological tool.

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• Knowledge Sharing: Share this information with your family and friends, so they too can appreciate the vast usefulness of humanity’s oldest biotechnological tool.
• Modern Products: You have learned about several important products created with the help of fermentation, both in ancient and modern societies.
• Ancient Societies: You have also learned what fermentation is and the importance of this biotechnological tool during the development of humanity.
• Fermentation Knowledge: Next time you see or use a product that is created with the help of fermentation, be sure to share this information.