We don’t usually get sick from eating fermented foods like kefir and Kimchi, and it is known that there are some health benefits from eating them for our gut health. BUT we often get sick from drinking spoiled milk or eating rotting meat and vegetables. What is the difference between food being “fermented” and food being “spoiled”?
In: Biology
The difference is mostly about control. When food spoils, bacteria, molds, and fungi rage uncontrolled throughout the food. Some of these are inedible, while others produce inedible or even poisonous byproducts. You don’t want to eat rotten food.
When foods are deliberately fermented, only certain kinds of microorganisms are allowed. This requires you to start with *very* careful cleaning and saniation practices, essentially eliminating any microorganisms that might already be in the ingredients, then deliberately introducing the kinds of microorganisms we want and nothing else. By controlling the process this way, we can ensure that the food remains edible and transforms into the new food we want, rather than just decaying into inedible rotten food.
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