Micro-organisms, for example, fungi and bacteria play an important role in the production of many of the foods we eat and drink. Microbial activity is an essential feature of both traditional biotechnology, which uses conventional techniques such as fermentation through to modern biotechnology, which uses processes such as genetic modification to enhance some food production.

Did you know…?

• We consume the edible fruiting bodies of fungi when we eat mushrooms.
  
• Yeasts are used in the fermentation of fruits to produce wine, cereals to make beer and in bread manufacture.
  
• Lactic acid bacteria are used in the fermentation of milk to produce many dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese, vegetables to produce sauerkraut as well as fermented meat products such as salami.

SGM members' favourite microbial recipes are listed below and can be downloaded as PDF files

• Bagels
• Elderflower "champagne"
• Ginger beer
• Yoghurt