Fermentation and Post-fermentation Processing

Abstract

Fermentation is one of the oldest methods of food preservation. The hygenic value of wine, as an alternative to local water supplies, has been known since well before the crusades. Although the interactive effects of ethanol, low pH, and the presence of preservatives have generally been credited for the antimicrobial properties of wine, recent research has clearly shown that health and hygenic benefits go well beyond these to include other naturally occurring compounds as well (Weisse et al., 1995; Muller and Fugelsang, 1996).