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
So when we ferment food we add microorganisms to it which break it down in a way that provides substances that are beneficial, or at least non-toxic, to us. When food is spoiled or has “gone off”, that’s when microorganisms, such as bacteria or fungi, have grown on it and started to produce chemicals that make us feel ill. Some microorganisms produce waste products that are toxic to humans and these aren’t broken down when you cook food, they stay there even though the microorganism itself has been killed
– Biology Teacher
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