Tag: food microbiology
Salmonella in Your Eggnog? Microbiologists Find Out
Seaweed and the Gut Microbiome: You are What You Eat
Our intestine is home to three pounds of bacteria. We feed them and they feed us. They help us break down proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates from our food into nutrients that we can then absorb. Without them, we would not reap the benefits of the many foods we consume.
As an example, gut microbes contain genes that code for enzymes which break down plant polysaccharides we can then digest. Without our gut microbes, we would not be able to obtain nutrients from these carbohydrates. But where did our gut microbes get these genes in the first place? (more…)
Stop Cleaning Your Kitchen Sponge!
For most of us, the thought of sanitizing our kitchen sponges never crossed our minds. And that’s probably a good thing.
Scientists from Germany recently reported what they found living inside kitchen sponges. They took samples from 14 used kitchen sponges and extracted DNA. What they found was an astounding 54 billion bacteria cells per cubic centimeter of sponge. (more…)
Soybeans as a Versatile Fermentation Product
Soybeans became widely popular in the last few decades. Low in fat, high in protein, a good substitute for meat, and sometimes fermented. This unassuming little bean has plenty of creative uses. Unfermented types of soy products include tofu, soymilk and in its purest, unprocessed form, edamame. Microbes transform soybeans into products as different as soy sauce, tempeh, natto, and miso.
When I first bought tempeh several years ago, I thought there was something wrong with it. A mysterious white substance glued soybeans together into a solid, congealed slab. It felt slimy and was full of grey spots. Little did I know at the time that microbes help make this tasty treat. (more…)