Fermentation in an Historical Context

Exercise #1: Fermentation in an historical context

How was food fermentation a critical component of cultural events, national expansion, or a major historical event?

On completion of this assignment: Students will demonstrate a better understanding of the role that fermented foods have played in the emergence of ancient and modern civilizations.

Assignment: Students will work in groups to develop an outline and introduction for an exhibition, book or documentary describing an aspect of history that would be completely changed in a world without yeast and fermentative microbes.

Role: You have to pitch your idea to your company for holding an exhibition, publishing a book, or producing a documentary describing the significance of yeast and fermentative microbes in our world. Your audience has no idea why this topic is important. You have a little over a week to get it all together!

What would you highlight?

Requirements: Students will prepare and submit the following items:

A one page exercise summary of their proposal (an exhibition, book, or documentary), a two page background summary as to why this topic is important and what information they would include in their product. This must include appropriate references using the resources of the UMD Libraries (UMD Libraries), and an outline description of the presentation as they envision it. These will be submitted via ELMS with attribution provided for the contributions of each student specified.
These materials will also be summarized in a recorded Powerpoint presentation to the class.
- Your Powerpoint presentation will consist of the following elements:

Slide 1- Title and summary statement describing the exercise
Slide 2 - Bullet point statements establishing the need for the book/exhibition/documentary
Slide 3 - Bullet point statements describing the central themes and approach to the exercise
Slide 4 - Bullet point statements establishing the qualification of the group to execute the exercise
Slide 5 - An example of the visual elements to be included in the exercise
Slide 5 - A summary of the learning outcomes that can be expected for those who view/read the final product
Slide 6 - A summary of societal impacts that might be expected from exercise execution
Slide 7 - An estimate of resources required to execute the exercise
Slide 8 - A description of each team member and the role they had on the exercise

Concept 1: Fermentation

fermentation
zymological process
anaerobic digestion

Concept 2: Dairy Products

dairy
yogurt
cheese
milk
kefir

Search strategy example:
(fermentation OR "zymological process*") AND (dairy OR yogurt OR cheese* OR milk OR kefir)

Quotes around a phrase = tells a database/search engine to look for that exact phrase
"anaerobic digestion"
"lactic acid"
"carbon dioxide"

* at the end of the word to retrieve all the variations (or the middle for spelling variants)

Examples:

dair* = dairy OR dairies OR dairying
ferment* = ferment OR fermentation OR fermented OR fermenting OR ferment
pickl* = pickle OR pickles OR pickling
sterili*e = sterilize or sterilise

Note: Be careful where you add the asterisk. For the example , when searching community if the asterisk is added at commun* you might get communications or communism.

Limit documents to a specific domain with Google

site:gov = federal /state / municipal / local government and government-sponsored research
site:org = non-profit organizations
site:edu = academic and educational institutions

For example: fermentation site:edu

Combine word/s using connectors
BooleanOR

or: either term/s are included (to connect synonyms or like concepts)

Example: yogurt OR yoghurt OR yogourt OR yoghourt

BooleanAND

and: all terms must be included (to connect concepts)

Example: fermentation AND pickl*

Databases are subscription resources that bring together articles and other types of research materials into one place with a sophisticated search engine.

There are many, many databases you can use that provide access to journal articles, book chapters, book reviews, conference proceedings, dissertations, and more related to your environmental policy topics.

Start with the databases listed below. For additional databases, browse by subject category under the following categories: Agriculture, Biology, and History of Science.

Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO)
Multi-disciplinary database providing information for nearly every area of academic study. Includes an enormous collection of the most valuable peer-reviewed full text journals, as well as additional journals, magazines, newspapers and books.
AGRICOLA
Citations to journal articles, book chapters, monographs, conference proceedings, serials, technical reports, and other materials on a range of agricultural topics.
Agris/Caris
AGRIS is the international information system for the agricultural sciences and technology. It was created by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in 1974, to facilitate information exchange and to bring together world literature dealing with all aspects of agriculture.
BIOSIS Previews (ISI)
Provides access to the life sciences literature from more than 5,500 journals, books, conference proceedings, US patents, papers and posters, nomenclature rules, and taxanomic keys.

Fermentation (Journal)
Publication Date: Began with: Volume 1, Issue 1 (December 2015)
"Fermentation (ISSN 2311-5637) is an international, peer-reviewed, open access, online journal publishing high quality original research papers, review articles, short communications and technical notes on all research areas of fermentation related to new and emerging products, processes and technologies including biopharmaceuticals and biotech drugs."

Historical Abstracts (EBSCO)
Core international history database now includes unique full-text coverage of nearly 200 journals and 100 books. It also provides indexing for over 1700 journals from 1964 to the present.
Web of Science
Indexes over 17,000 journals by subject keyword, author name, journal title & author affiliation. Search author abstracts when available. Provides cited reference searching

Use WorldCat - the Libraries' catalog - to locate books on your topic.

Use keywords and then same strategies as for databases, and remember to capitalize the connectors.
In some cases, fermented food and beverage terms also have other common meanings or are popular names (e.g, spirits are metaphysical phenomena, Beers as a last name, "say cheese", etc.). Try using the subject field tag in your search to location items about the term, not just where the term is mentioned in the record.
Look in the description section of books and link to other books using Subject tags (or descriptors)

Sample searches:
ferment* AND food*

ferment* AND (su:beer)

su:Fermentation History

Fermentation : vital or chemical process? by Joseph S. Fruton
ISBN: 9789047410416
Publication Date: 2006-01-01
Human knowledge of the conversion of grape must into wine and of cereal dough into bread is as old as agriculture. This book is a study of the ways this phenomenon (fermentation) has been considered since Aristotle to be analogous to natural processes such as human digestion. During 1200-1600 A.D., alchemists wrote "ferments" or "elixirs" that could turn lead into gold. A century later, in Newton's time, many physicians and natural philosophers considered fermentation to be an important natural process. The 18th century was marked by Lavoisier's celebrated experiment on alcoholic fermentation. The 19th-century debate about the nature of this process was concluded by Buchner's preparation of a active cell-free yeast extract. During 1910-1940, many researchers participated in the identification of the chemical intermediates and catalysts in the multi-enzyme pathway of alcoholic fermentation.
Food, Fermentation and Micro-Organisms by Charles W. Bamforth
ISBN: 9780470995266
Publication Date: 2008-04-15
Fermentation and the use of micro-organisms is one of the most important aspects of food processing, an industry worth billions of US dollars world-wide. From beer and wine to yoghurt and bread, it is the common denominator between many of our foodstuffs. In his engaging style Professor Charles Bamforth covers all known food applications of fermentation. Beginning with the science underpinning food fermentations, Professor Bamforth looks at the relevant aspects of microbiology and microbial physiology, moving on to cover individual food products, how they are made, what is the role of fermentation and what possibilities exist for future development. Internationally respected author Coverage of all major uses of fermentation in the food industry Practical coverage of food processing in relation to fermentation A comprehensive guide for all food scientists, technologists and microbiologists in the food industry and academia, this book will be an important addition to all libraries in food companies, research establishments and universities where food studies, food science, food technology and microbiology are studied and taught.
Novel Food Fermentation Technologies by Brijesh K. Tiwari (Editor); K. Shikha Ojha (Editor)
ISBN: 9783319424576
Publication Date: 2016-09-19
Novel Food Fermentation Technologies provides a comprehensive overview of innovations in food fermentation technologies and their application. Current novel technologies for microbial culture production and preservation are covered in detail, as are fermentation techniques for the production of bioactives from various food matrices, including food processing by-products and waste. Readers are provided with a close look at thermal and non-thermal technologies applicable to fermented food products. The text covers immobilization, microencapsulation technologies and novel preservation techniques for cultures in fermentation. In-depth studies of high pressure processing, pulsed electric field, power ultrasound and gamma irradiation in fermentation are provided in addition to novel thermal and non-thermal technologies and process analytical techniques. A wide variety of fermented products are covered, including meat, marine-based, grain-based, dairy and vegetable-based products. Current technologies for extraction of bioactives are examined, as are current innovations in fermented food packaging. Readers are presented with current and future challenges in food fermentation as well. As a comprehensive reference for food fermentation, this work provides up-to-date insights into emerging fermentation technologies which facilitate the processing of wholesome and safe food products.
The Enigma of Ferment by Ulf Lagerkvist
ISBN: 9812700927
Publication Date: 2005-11-07
This popular account of the history of ferment takes the reader on a fascinating journey from its obscure origins in medieval medicine and alchemy to the modern concept of the enzyme. During the 19th century, the question of the nature of the ferment led to a long and bitter conflict between those that believed in a vital force peculiar to the living cell and those that looked for a more chemical explanation. The book takes an in-depth look at the events of 1897 when Eduard Buchner demonstrated that cell-free extracts of yeast could catalyze alcoholic fermentation, putting an end to "vitalism" and at the same time earning him a Nobel Prize, the first to be awarded for purely biochemical work.
Ancient Brews by Patrick E. McGovern; Sam Calagione (Foreword by)
ISBN: 9780393253801
Publication Date: 2017-06-13
In Ancient Brews, Patrick E. McGovern takes us on a fascinating journey through time, back to the beginning when our ancestors were likely already experimenting with high-sugar fruits, honey, roots and cereals, herbs and tree resins to concoct the perfect drink.Early beverage-makers must have marveled at the magical process of fermentation. Their amazement would have grown as they drank the mind-altering liquids, which were to become the medicines, religious symbols, and social lubricants of later cultures.Interweaving archaeology and science, McGovern leads us on his adventures to China, Turkey, Egypt, Italy, Scandinavia, Honduras, Peru, and Mexico. We share in his laboratory discoveries, including an early Neolithic "cocktail" from China made of wild grapes, hawthorn fruit, rice, and honey; an elite New World cacao beverage that gods and kings delighted in; and the Midas Touch of central Turkey. These liquid time capsules defied modern conventions by mixing wines, beers, meads, and botanicals together into heady, delicious extreme beverages.For the intrepid reader, homebrew interpretations of each ancient beverage and culturally appropriate matching meal recipes are provided, transporting our senses and imaginations "back to the future."

For assignments that require a visual aid, check out these databases and websites for images galore!

Don't forget that you need to cite your images, just as you would cite other sources in your presentation.

ARTstor
Repository of hundreds of thousands of digital images, from across many periods and cultures. Architecture, painting, sculpture, photography, decorative arts, design, and other forms of visual culture are represented. Provides tools to actively use images for scholarship, teaching, and learning.
LC Prints and Photographs Division
Provides access to the online catalog of the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress. The searchable database includes 650,000+ bibliographic records and digital images cataloged since 1984. Rights and reproduction information is also included.

Animal Science Image Gallery
Provided by the American Society of Animal Science, this site is designed to provide images, animations, and video for classroom and outreach learning.
Google Image Search for Fermentation
Google now offers the ability to select Creative Commons licenses for 'Usage Rights' under the Image Tools menu. Replace 'fermentation' in the search box to find images for other topics.
The Noun Project
Royalty-free icons.
Public Health Image Library
Created by a Working Group at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this image database offers an organized, universal electronic gateway to CDC's pictures. The content is organized into hierarchical categories of people, places, and science, and is presented as single images, image sets, and multimedia files.
Unsplash
Open source photographs: "Unsplash grants you an irrevocable, nonexclusive, worldwide copyright license to download, copy, modify, distribute, perform, and use photos from Unsplash for free, including for commercial purposes, without permission from or attributing the photographer or Unsplash."
USDA Agricultural Research Service Image Gallery
"Image Gallery is a complimentary source of high-quality digital photographs available from the Agricultural Research Service Office of Communications. Use keywords to search here for more than 6,500 agriculture and food images in our collection."

AGST/PLSC130 Did Yeast Create Civilization?

Librarian

Fermentation in an Historical Context

Exercise #1: Fermentation in an historical context