Fermentation: Between Tradition and the Lab

12/15/2025
Reading time 1 min.

Fermented foods are trending, but fermentation can be much more than kombucha, kimchi, and yogurt. In the documentary 鈥淔ermenting 鈥� Power for a Healthy Gut鈥�, Marius Henkel, Professor of Cellular Agriculture at the TUM School of Life Sciences, provides insights into precision fermentation and its potentials.

Prof. Marius Henkel — Marius Henkel, Professor of Cellular Agriculture at the TUM School of Life Sciences

Unlike spontaneous fermentation, which uses naturally occurring microorganisms, precision fermentation employs genetically modified bacteria. These bacteria can convert carbohydrates into proteins that mimic the structure and function of animal proteins. Such an approach allows for products that can be whipped like egg whites or replicate the creaminess of cow鈥檚 milk. The documentary explores the current state of research and sheds light on the opportunities and challenges of this technology.