Fermentation Technique Could Help Reduce Food Waste
Metro Türkiye is working to increase the presence of fermented products, one of the oldest food preservation methods and an important part of Turkish culture, in professional kitchens.
Fermentation preserves foods practically over long periods, preventing waste and contributing to sustainability while offering numerous health benefits. Based on this, Metro Türkiye held an event at Muutto Galataport to draw attention to the importance of fermented foods.
At the event where nutrition expert and sustainable living activist Dilara Koçak discussed 2024 nutrition trends and the effects of fermentation on healthy eating, chef Umut Karakuş hosted guests with a menu prepared using fermented products from Metro Türkiye's Metro Chef brand.
Metro Türkiye Corporate Communications and Public Relations Director Aslı Duran Özcan spoke about the importance of fermentation, a method for storing foods longer, in Turkish culinary culture, noting that although fermentation is discussed as a new trend, this method has actually been used in Anatolia for centuries.
Özcan, noting that they wish to draw attention to the benefits fermented products provide for human health and kitchen sustainability, made the following statements:
'The fermentation technique, which enables long-term preservation and storage of foods, is of great importance in preventing food waste. As Metro Türkiye, we offer dozens of products ranging from fruit vinegars to tarhana, from sourdough to sprouted fermented legumes to enable fermented foods to be used more in kitchens.
Additionally, we feature our traditional fermented products in Metro Kültür Yayınları to build a bridge for transmitting recipes from the past to the future.'
'They have a direct effect on our microbiota'
Nutrition expert and sustainable living activist Dilara Koçak noted that the healthier a person's microbiota is, the healthier they are, and explained that fermented foods have a direct effect on microbiota.
Koçak emphasized that fermented foods should not be missing from our tables even if we eat a diet rich in fiber, stating that 'Research shows that fermented foods have many positive effects, from intestinal health to bone health, brain and nerve functions, mood, and heart disease. There is no reason for a healthy individual not to consume these foods.'
Sharing some trends that include fermentation, Koçak noted that 'Among legumes, especially chickpea stands out in 2024. We will encounter many alternatives prepared with chickpea, lentil and beans. Functional plant-based alternatives tailored to individuals and diseases will increasingly grow. Fermented foods will further highlight their importance for intestinal health. Eating locally and seasonally will be increasingly valued.'
'Fermentation is one of the most deeply rooted kitchen techniques'
Chef Umut Karakuş noted that fermentation is an indispensable kitchen technique of Anatolian culinary culture, explaining that this method both preserves the food and enables the product to be consumed outside its season.
Karakuş explained: 'I view this deeply rooted method as a very valuable discovery. We can understand from these techniques how much humans have engaged with food, how much effort they have invested in it, and how they have strived to develop food.'
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