What You Need to Know
A fermentation starter is a preparation to assist the beginning of the fermentation process in preparation of various foods and alcoholic drinks. Food groups where they are used include breads, especially sourdough bread, and cheese. A starter culture is a microbiological culture which actually performs fermentation. These starters usually consist of a cultivation medium, such as grains, seeds, or nutrient liquids that have been well colonized by the microorganisms used for the fermentation.
Steps
- 1.
San Francisco sourdough (United States): Creates characteristic tang and open crumb structure
- 2.
Idli batter (South India): Provides leavening and characteristic sour notes
- 3.
Nuruk-fermented makgeolli (Korea): Initiates complex starch conversion for traditional rice wine
The Science
Primary Reaction
Lactic acid fermentation