Fermented Foods Archives

October 13, 2026 • Fermented Foods

World Fermented Foods Table: 134 Traditional Ferments by Region, Microbes and Live Cultures

134 traditional fermented foods and drinks from 12 regions, compared in one table: how each is fermented, its main microbes, whether it still has live microbes when eaten, its alcohol…

March 28, 2026 • Fermented Foods

Which Fermented Foods Are Worth the Hype? What the Human Evidence Shows

The fermented-food claims with good human evidence are modest: live yogurt and kefir cultures help people who digest lactose poorly, a small trial found that eating about six servings a…

March 27, 2026 • Fermented Foods

25 Best Fermented Foods From Around the World, by Region

Twenty-five well-known fermented foods from around the world, by region: kimchi, miso, natto, doenjang and kombucha (East Asia); tempeh, dosa and idli, tapai and lassi (South and Southeast Asia); kefir,…

February 18, 2026 • Fermented Foods

How to Make Tempeh at Home: Soybeans, Rhizopus Starter and 30°C for 1–2 Days

To make tempeh, soak and dehull soybeans, cook them until tender, dry and cool them below 35°C, mix in Rhizopus tempeh starter, pack 2–3 cm thick in perforated bags, and…

December 16, 2025 • Fermented Foods

Fish Sauce: How It’s Made, How to Choose a Good One, and How to Use It

Fish sauce is the liquid drawn off anchovies or other small fish fermented with lots of salt for months. Its savory taste comes from proteins broken down by the fish's…

December 2, 2025 • Fermented Foods

Fermented Honey and Garlic Honey: How It Works and What’s Safe

Honey ferments when something watery – garlic, fruit, ginger – dilutes it enough for its natural yeasts to grow. Fermented garlic honey has no tested safe method: garlic is low-acid,…

April 23, 2026 • Fermented Foods

How Long Does Miso Last? Fridge, Freezer and Signs It’s Gone Bad

Opened miso keeps for months in the fridge or freezer, with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface; miso doesn't freeze solid, so it can be used straight from the freezer.…

March 26, 2026 • Fermented Foods

Best Store-Bought Fermented Foods: 14 Live-Culture Picks and How to Read the Label

The best store-bought fermented foods for live cultures are sold refrigerated and labeled raw, unpasteurized or with live and active cultures – for example Lifeway or Kalona kefir, Siggi's or…

December 18, 2025 • Fermented Foods

Century Egg (Often Called Fermented Duck Egg): How It’s Really Made, Taste and Safety

Century eggs (pidan) are often called fermented duck eggs, but they're cured in a strongly alkaline mixture – traditionally quicklime, ash and salt, commercially usually lye and salt – for…

December 17, 2025 • Fermented Foods

Fermented Shrimp Paste: Belacan, Kapi, Terasi, Bagoong and Saeujeot (and Substitutes)

Fermented shrimp paste is tiny shrimp salted, dried and fermented into a pungent, savory paste or block – belacan, terasi, kapi, mắm tôm and bagoong – or, in Korea, whole…

December 16, 2025 • Fermented Foods

Fermented Soybeans: Natto, Miso, Doenjang, Tempeh and More – A Guide

Fermented soybeans are soybeans transformed by Bacillus bacteria (natto, cheonggukjang), koji and other molds (miso, doenjang, soy sauce) or Rhizopus mold (tempeh). Natto is exceptionally rich in vitamin K (600…

December 11, 2025 • Fermented Foods

Fermented Beans: Are They Safe, and Which Traditional Methods Work at Home?

Traditionally made fermented beans – tempeh, natto, miso, doenjang, idli and dosa – are safe when made the traditional way: a known starter, the right temperature and time, enough salt…