What's in our Food?!
- RRHS ScienceNHS
- Apr 3, 2024
- 1 min read
By: Eesha Vykunta
Think about the last time you had a slice of bread. Or maybe a bowl of yogurt…
Little do people know, there are millions of microorganisms in each bite of your food, with bread and yogurt having a particularly high amount.
Bread is typically made by using yeast, flour, water, sugar, and other ingredients. Yeast, as sold in the grocery store, is filled with deactivated microorganisms. The moment you combine yeast with water and sugar, it comes to life. The bubbles in your bread are actually from the yeast organisms eating sugar, digesting it, and expelling gas, specifically carbon dioxide.
This is also why bread is notoriously hard to make. The yeast organisms are living organisms that can tolerate a wide range of conditions. If the water is too hot or cold, or if there is not enough sugar, the yeast will die and your bread will not form.
Similarly, yogurt which is made from milk has many microorganisms. The sour taste that one gets from yogurt is not because of the manufacturing process, but instead, it is because millions of little bacteria create a substance called lactic acid. This lactic acid is present in such high amounts that it makes our yogurt taste sour and acidic. This acid is also what makes the milk coagulate (clump together) and make yogurt.
So then next time you take a bite of food or decide to make dinner that night, think about all the little organisms in your food that are giving you a hand.
If you would like to know more:
It's fascinating how foods can be teeming with different microorganisms, each playing a crucial role in the way it's made and enjoyed! Fermented foods, such as yogurt and cheese, rely on specific microorganisms to transform their ingredients into something entirely new and delicious. These microscopic organisms not only help to preserve foods but also contribute to their unique flavors, textures, and health benefits! It's incredible how something as simple as a loaf of bread to bowls of yogurt can be produced by these little creatures!
It’s really interesting to learn how microorganisms are involved in making everyday foods like bread and yogurt. I never knew that the sour taste of yogurt comes from bacteria producing lactic acid, or that yeast helps create the bubbles in bread. It’s amazing how these tiny organisms play such an important role in making our food!