FERMENTATION

… and how it works

To turn our veggies into tasty, nutrient rich food we use an ancient process that is technically known as lacto-fermentation. Don’t worry, milk is not involved, the “lacto” portion of the term refers to a specific species of bacteria, namely Lactobacillus which have the ability to convert sugars into lactic acid. Lactic acid is a natural preservative that inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria. Lacto-fermentation enhances the nutritive value of the food, and many enzymes and probiotics are created.

In our krauts and kimchis, we use pink Himalayan salt to extract the juices from our veggies. The vegetables ferment, submerged in their own juices, creating an anaerobic environment (free of oxygen) where only lactobacillus bacteria can survive. The lactobacillus bacteria act as a preservative, keeping harmful bacteria from living in the ferment.

In kombucha, there is the added excitement of a pellicle – also known as a scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) – to help turn sweetened tea into a lightly effervescent, tangy and tasty fermented tea. And we use kombucha as a starter culture in ferments such as our range of mustards.