Define Economically Important Fermentation Products
Alcoholic drinks fall into two broad categories: Wines and Beers.
Wines are made from the juice of fruits and beers from cereal grains. Primitive wines and beers have been produced, with the aid of yeasts, for thousands of years, although it was not until about four hundred years ago that microorganisms associated with the fermentation were observed and identified. It was not until the 1850's that Louis Pasteur demonstrated unequivocally the involvement of yeasts in the production of wines and beers. Since then, the knowledge of yeasts and the conditions necessary for fermentation of wine and beer has increased to the point where pure culture fermentations are now used to ensure consistent product quality. Originally, alcoholic fermentations would have been the spontaneous events that resulted from the activity of microorganisms naturally present. These non-scientific methods are still used today for the home preparation of many of the world's traditional beers and wines. Let us learn about these products.