TRADITIONAL FERMENTATION DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN USING TRADITIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Diversity of fermentation products has always been the hall mark of Malaysian culture. Almost everywhere we go we are exposed to various types of fermentation food and beverages. In part such diversity is the result of the input and fusion of various races and cultures into what is constitute as Malaysians. This fermentation diversity is enhanced by the diversity of substrates available for fermentation and the variations in the fermentation process carried out by the various races.
However, one of the weakest links in the production of these traditional food and beverages is the reluctance to use modern fermentation technology for a more efficient fermentation which will be more viable in terms of economics and production. Time and traditional methods seems to be the restricting barriers to produce fermentation products on an industrial scale. The archaic taboos of the do’s and don’ts seem to be still having its grip on traditional fermentation.
Connoisseurs even swear that the fermentation products produced traditionally is far better than those that are produced in modern fermentation vats! Is there truth in such allegations? It is possible that modern fermentation is enriched by processes that takes a longer time to mature and produced the bouquet. In the haste of producing fermentation products in the shortest time possible this aspect of the problem is not fully appreciated!
More understanding of the process biochemistry and how to manipulate it needs to be carried out further
Of course this situation is not applicable to all fermentation products. Perhaps the solution to this problem is to integrate traditional fermentation with modern science of fermentation technology in order to achieve the best solution
Modern soy sauce manufacturer such as Kikkoman of Japan has successfully applied this marriage of convenience between traditional fermentation and modern fermentation technology
Let us face it, sooner or later the traditional fermentation will have to give way to modern fermentation technology. The days of the earthen vats and natural inocula will be replaced by shiny stainless steel fermentors and modern industrial strains.


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