Fermentation

biology · energy · food science · microscopic

Energy without air. Fermentation is a special way cells break down sugars to make energy (called ATP) when there's no oxygen around. It's like your body's backup power plan when you're running really hard and can't breathe in oxygen fast enough.

Creates yummy foods. Fermentation is how we get delicious foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, pickles, and cheese. Tiny microbes eat the sugars in milk or vegetables and transform them into totally new flavors and textures.

Makes bread and bubbles. When bakers add yeast to dough, the yeast ferments the sugars in the flour, making gas bubbles that help bread rise and get fluffy. The same process is how we make beer and sparkling drinks!

Happens in tiny cells. All living cells, from bacteria to human muscle cells, can use fermentation as an emergency energy source. Your muscles actually use a type of fermentation when you sprint so fast that you run out of oxygen.

Recycles molecules. Fermentation takes complex sugar molecules and breaks them down into simpler chemicals that cells can use for energy. The leftover products, like lactic acid or ethanol, are what give fermented foods their special tangy or boozy qualities.