CHEMICAL FERMENT Meaning and
Definition
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A chemical ferment refers to a natural or artificial substance that is responsible for initiating and accelerating the process of fermentation. Fermentation is a metabolic process where sugar molecules are broken down by microorganisms such as yeast or bacteria, resulting in the production of various products like alcohol, acids, or gases. The role of a chemical ferment is to act as a catalyst or enzyme, facilitating and enabling these biological reactions to occur.
Chemical ferments can be classified into two main categories: endogenous and exogenous. Endogenous ferments are naturally present within the substances undergoing fermentation, such as the enzymes produced by yeast during the fermentation of grapes to make wine. Exogenous ferments, on the other hand, are artificially added to a substance to initiate the fermentation process, for instance, the addition of rennet to milk to make cheese.
The specific type of chemical ferment used depends on the desired product. For example, in the production of beer, malted barley is used. The natural enzymes present in the barley, called amylases, break down starch into fermentable sugars. In some cases, specific enzymes may be extracted or synthesized from microorganisms to act as chemical ferments, ensuring a controlled and efficient fermentation process.
Overall, the presence of a chemical ferment is essential for the successful execution of fermentation, as it allows the transformation of raw materials into desired products, with applications ranging from food and beverage production to various industrial processes.
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An unorganized. f., enzyme.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for CHEMICAL FERMENT
- chemical fermenp
- chemical fermenv
- chemical fermenu
- c hemical ferment
- ch emical ferment
- che mical ferment
- chem ical ferment
- chemi cal ferment
- chemic al ferment
- chemica l ferment
- chemical f erment
- chemical fe rment
- chemical fer ment
- chemical ferm ent
- chemical ferme nt
- chemical fermen t
Etymology of CHEMICAL FERMENT
The etymology of the word "chemical ferment" can be broken down as follows:
1. Chemical: The term "chemical" comes from the Latin word "chemicus", which originates from the Greek word "khemeia". "Khemeia" refers to the art of transmuting base metals into gold or silver, and it was derived from the Egyptian word "khem", meaning black earth or soil. Over time, "chemicus" evolved to mean "pertaining to chemistry" or "related to the science of substances and their transformations".
2. Ferment: The word "ferment" has its roots in Latin, specifically from the verb "fervere", meaning "to boil" or "to be in a state of intense activity". In Latin, the noun form "fermentum" was used to refer to a substance that caused fermentation or a state of agitation.
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