Re: [compost_tea] Fermentation

From: <soilfoodweb_at_aol.com>
Date: Tue, 12 Aug 2003 08:25:38 EDT

Fermentation is a word which has had different meanings over time.

To ferment something used to mean the same as to grow, basically. A ferment
was a culture of something.

With brewing of alcoholic beverages, fermentation gained a connotation of
being involved with the production of alcoholic beverages. And therefore,
restricted to anaerobic conditions.

Confusing? Especially as some people who are un-aware of the change in usage
have been using fermentation in the earlier use of the word, which is just
"to grow".

I prefer to use terminology that is more precise, and avoid the use of a term
compromised with different traditions.

So, an aerobic fermentation is a nonsensical combination in some people's
lexicon. Aerobic alcohol production? Not likely. Alcohol production is an
anaerobic process. But only if you use fermentation in the sense of alcohol
production.

So, can we please leave fermentation to the beer industry?

Aerobic metabolism, requiring oxygen as the last electron acceptor in the
cytochrome system. Or anaerobic metabolism where something other than a molecule
of oxygen is used as the final electron acceptor in energy production.
There's also photosynthesis, which produces oxygen as a waste product.

There are aerobic organisms, who always use aerobic metabolism.

There are facultative anaerobic organisms, who can switch from aerobic
metabolism, to anaerobic metabolism. The oxygen concentration where they convert f
rom one to the other varies.

There are anaerobic organisms, who always use anaerobic pathways.

OK?

Elaine
President, Soil Foodweb Inc.
www.soilfoodweb.com
SFI Oregon, USA
SFI Australia
SFI New York
SFI Europe
SFI New Zealand

"Hope is not a feeling. It is not the belief that things will turn out well,
but the conviction that what we are doing makes sense, no matter how things
turn out." -- Vaclav Havel, former President of the Czech Republic





Received on Tue Aug 12 2003 - 14:45:17 EDT

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