Fermentation starter
{{short description|Preparation to assist the beginning of fermentation}}
File:Nuruk.jpg, a fermentation starter for alcoholic beverages]]
A fermentation starter (called simply starter within the corresponding context, sometimes called a mother{{cite episode | title = Good Wine Gone Bad | url = http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/good-eats/9-series/good-wine-gone-bad.html | series = Good Eats | series-link = Good Eats | credits = Alton Brown | network = Food Network | air-date = September 21, 2005 | season = 9 | number = 8 }}) is a preparation to assist the beginning of the fermentation process in preparation of various foods and alcoholic drinks. Food groups where they are used include breads, especially sourdough bread, and cheese. A starter culture is a microbiological culture which actually performs fermentation. These starters usually consist of a cultivation medium, such as grains, seeds, or nutrient liquids that have been well colonized by the microorganisms used for the fermentation.
These starters are formed using a specific cultivation medium and a specific mix of fungal and bacterial strains.Norman F. Haard, S.A. Odunfa, Cherl-Ho Lee, R. Quintero-Ramírez, Argelia Lorence-Quiñones, Carmen Wacher-Radarte, Fermented Cereals: A Global Perspective, Food and Agriculture Organization, Rome, 1999, {{ISBN|92-5-104296-9}}.Dilip K. Arora, Libero Ajello, K. G. Mukerji, Handbook of Applied Mycology: Foods and Feeds, Volume 3, CRC Press, 1991, {{ISBN|0-8247-8491-X}}.
Typical microorganisms used in starters include various bacteria and fungi (yeasts and molds): Rhizopus, Aspergillus, Mucor, Amylomyces, Endomycopsis, Saccharomyces, Hansenula anomala, Lactobacillus, Acetobacter, etc. Various national cultures have various active ingredients in starters, and often involve mixed microflora.
Industrial starters include various enzymes, in addition to microflora.
National names
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In descriptions of national cuisines, fermentation starters may be referred to by their national names:
- Qū (simplified: 曲; traditional: 麴, also romanized as chu) (China)
- Jiuqu ({{zh|p=jiǔ qū|s=酒曲 |t=酒麴}}): the starter used for making Chinese alcoholic beverages
- Laomian ({{zh|s=老面 |t=老麵 |p=lǎomiàn |l=old dough}} {{zh|z=面肥 |p=mianfei|l= dough fat}}): Chinese sourdough starter commonly used in Northern Chinese cuisine, the sourness of the starter is commonly quenched with sodium carbonate prior to use.{{citation |title=椒盐筋饼 |journal=天天饮食 |publisher=food.cntv.cn}}
- Mae dombae or mae sra{{cite book |editor=Jyoti Prakash Tamang |date=2016 |title=Ethnic Fermented Foods and Alcoholic Beverages of Asia |chapter=Ethnic Fermented Foods and Beverages of Cambodia |publisher=Springer Publishing |page=237 |isbn=978-81-322-2798-4}} ({{langx|km|ម៉ែស្}}) (Cambodia)
- Meju ({{lang|ko|메주}}) (Korea)
- Nuruk ({{lang|ko|누룩}}) (Korea){{Cite book|url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/x2184e/x2184e00.htm|title=Fermented cereals. A global perspective|last=Lee|first=Cherl-Ho|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations|year=1999|isbn=92-5-104296-9|editor-last=Haard|editor-first=Norman F.|series=FAO Agricultural Services Bulletin|location=Rome|pages=91|chapter=Cereal Fermentations in Countries of the Asia-Pacific Region|issn=1010-1365|editor-last2=Odunfa|editor-first2=S.A.|editor-last3=Lee|editor-first3=Cherl-Ho|editor-last4=Quintero-Ramírez|editor-first4=R.|editor-last5=Lorence-Quiñones|editor-first5=Argelia|editor-last6=Wacher-Radarte|editor-first6=Carmen|chapter-url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/x2184e/x2184e09.htm|issue=138}}
- Koji (麹) (Japan)
- Ragi tapai (Indonesia and Malaysia)
- Bakhar, ranu, marchaar (murcha), Virjan (India)
- Bubod, tapay, budbud (Philippines)
- Loogpaeng, loog-pang, or look-pang{{cite book |editor=Jyoti Prakash Tamang |date=2016 |title=Ethnic Fermented Foods and Alcoholic Beverages of Asia |chapter=Ethnic Fermented Foods and Beverages of Thailand |publisher=Springer Publishing |page=154 |isbn=978-81-322-2798-4}} ({{langx|th|ลูกแป้ง}}) (Thailand)
- Levain (France)
- Bread zakvaska (закваска, sourdough) (Russia, Ukraine) or zakwas (Poland)
- Opara (опара), a starter based on yeast (Russia)
- Juuretis (Estonia)