Microbiology in Food Production

The process of converting milk into curd using Lactobacillus bacteria. These bacteria produce acids that coagulate milk proteins and partially digest them, making curd more nutritious.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are beneficial for the digestive system as they help maintain the balance of microbes in the stomach, preventing harmful microbes from taking over.

The process of using bacteria to ferment dough for foods like dosa and idli. These bacteria produce carbon dioxide gas, causing the dough to puff up.

A type of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) used to ferment dough for bread, producing carbon dioxide gas that makes bread rise.

A traditional Indian drink made from fermented palm sap, often used in alcoholic beverages.

The use of microbes to create unique characteristics in cheese, such as texture, flavor, and aroma.

The bacterium Propionibacterium sharmanii responsible for the characteristic holes in Swiss cheese. It produces large amounts of carbon dioxide gas, creating the holes as the cheese matures.

The process of using microorganisms to produce industrial products like beverages and antibiotics on a large scale.

The use of specific microbes to develop the characteristic flavors, textures, and aromas of different cheese varieties. For example, roquefort cheese is made using a specific mold that gives it its unique blue veins.

Microorganisms can be grown in controlled environments to obtain large quantities of desirable products like antibiotics, enzymes, and other valuable compounds.