Christon J. Hurst 
Microbial Fermentations in Nature and as Designed Processes 

MICROBIAL FERMENTATIONS IN NATURE AND AS DESIGNED PROCESSES

Fermentation is one of the most important metabolic tools that biology has developed and microorganisms in many ways seem to have become the true masters of fermentative metabolism. Each of the fermentative microbial functions evolved to fit an energetic opportunity, and each function has ecological value.

This book provides its readers with:

* Understanding regarding the commonalities and distinctions between aerobic and anaerobic fermentations as performed by microorganisms.

* A summary of knowledge regarding the ways in which animals and plants depend upon symbiotic interactions with their fermenting microbial partners including the deconstruction of complex polysaccharides. Information is also included about how those natural technologies constitute adaptation into designed processes for anaerobic degradation of lignocellulosic materials.

* The important role of rhizosphere microbes that facilitate availability of inorganic and organic phosphates for plants. These phosphates get stored in the plant’s seeds. After ruminant animals ingest the seeds, enzymes produced by gastrointestinal microbial fermentation allow the animals to utilize their dietary phosphates.

* History of how microbial fermentation has been harnessed from prehistoric times to the present for processing and preserving food products for humans and fodder for our domesticated animals.

* Insight into the ways that microbial fermentations are used as an engineering tool for producing chemicals, including enzymes and pharmaceuticals, which improve the health of ourselves and our domesticated animals.

* Perspectives on possible future research directions for the field of applied microbial fermentation that will help to advance agriculture and industry.

Table of Content

LIST OF FIGURES ix

LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS xv

PREFACE xix

SECTION I AN INTRODUCTION TO MICROBIAL FERMENTATION 1

1 Microbial Fermentation: Understanding and Using One of Nature’s Tools 3
Christon J. Hurst

2 Rhodotorula Toruloides as a Biofactory of Carotenoids, Lipids, and Enzymes 103
Nayra Ochoa Viñals, Dania Alonso Estrada, Evelyn Faife Pérez, Lourdes Georgina Michelena Álvarez, José Luis Martínez-Hernández, Roberto Arredondo Valdés, Arianna Núñez Caraballo, and Anna Iliná

SECTION II THE ROLE OF MICROBIAL FERMENTATION IN DIGESTION PROCESSES 121

3 Gut Microbial Ecology 123
Erin A. Mc Kenney

4 Fermentation in the Rumen 133
Emilio M. Ungerfeld, Nathaly Cancino-Padilla, and Nelson Vera-Aguilera

5 Microbial Degradation of Lignocellulose in Natural and Engineered Systems — From the Smallest to the Biggest Bioreactor 167
Xavier Goux, Tong Liu, Maria Westerholm, and Magdalena Calusinska

SECTION III USING MICROBIAL FERMENTATION TO PRODUCE BEER AND WINE 207

6 Archeological Evidence for Fermented Alcoholic Beverages In Ritual Feasts of Neolithic China 209
Li Liu

7 Brews of the Past: Bioarchaeology of Microbial Fermentation 225
Keith Thomas

8 An Accidental Art Form: Spontaneous Fermentation of Beer 245
Cassandra Suther

9 Japanese Traditional Fermentation Uses Solid-State Fungal Cultivation to Produce Sake 255
Norio Takeshita and Ken Oda

SECTION IV USING MICROBIAL FERMENTATION TO PRODUCE FOOD AND FODDER 261

10 Safety Demonstration of Food and Feed Cultures 263
François Bourdichon, Alessandra Fontana, Vania Patrone, and Lorenzo Morelli

11 Starter Cultures and Their Role in Fermented Foods 281
Marta Laranjo

12 African Fermented Foods and Beverages. Potential Impact on Health 293
Victoria Bell, José Guina, and Tito H. Fernandes

13 Fermented Foods of South Asia 323
Gomathy M, Sabarinathan K.G, Rajakumar D, Manoj M, Bhimani H.D, Priya John, Tharanee Wijayaratne, Sagarika Ekanayake, Uma Maheswari, Anu S. Rajan, Dilip Saikia, Dilip Tamang, Simana Bora, Theradimani M, and Ramya P

14 The Ensiling Fermentation of Forage Crops 353
Zwi G. Weinberg

SECTION V A CLOSING PERSPECTIVE OF MICROBIAL FERMENTATION 373

15 The Intersection of Microbial Fermentation and Evolutionary Ecology: We Provide the Habitat, You Provide the Fermentation 375
Christon J. Hurst

INDEX 381

About the author

Christon J. Hurst, Ph D, is a Consulting Microbiologist in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, and a Lifetime Visiting Professor at the Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia. He has worked on environmental microbiology and microorganism detection in multiple industries, and has published extensively on microorganisms and related subjects.