Fermentation Science 101 – Introduction to Fermentation Science Instructor: Dr. Gregg Wilmes – Office: L060 Mark Jefferson Office Hours: TBA
email: gwilmes@emich.edu
Class Times: MW – 9:30 am -10:45 pm.
Course Prerequisites: (MATH 098 with a C or better), or (MATH 098B with a C or
better), or MATH 104, or MATH 105, or MATH 107, or MATH 107, or MATH 110, or
MATH 110E, or MATH 112, or MATH 118, or MATH 119, or MATH 120, or MATH
170, or Level 3 Math placement.
Course Materials: All course materials will be distributed in class or made available at
the course website.
Course Description: This course will provide an introduction to the use of microorganisms in the production of desirable foods, beverages, and chemical products. We
will begin with an overview of chemical bonding and the structure and reactivity of
important biomolecules. We will then study a variety of biochemical pathways and
investigate the types of organisms typically used in fermentation. This introductory
material will then be applied to the processes involved in making fermented foods (such
as cheese, yogurt, bread, and pickles) and beverages (beer, wine, spirits, and kombucha.
We will conclude by learning how fermentation is used in the pharmaceutical and
chemical industries.
Course Objectives:
1. Students will understand the fundamentals of chemical bonding and the structure
of biological molecules well enough to interpret the chemical reactions that occur
during fermentation processes.
2. Students will become familiar with the types of micro-organisms involved in
fermentation, learning the environmental conditions each requires to survive
along with the chemical transformations they cause.
3. Students will gain familiarity with the fermentation processes involved in the
production of a wide variety of fermented food, beverage, and chemical products.
Assessment:
1. Homework Assignments and Quizzes: There will be multiple take-home
assignments and announced quizzes throughout the semester. The assignments
and quizzes may be either practical or theoretical in nature.
2. Term Paper: One research paper explaining the production of a fermented product
not discussed in class or expanding on covered topic.
3. In-Class Exams: Two in-class examinations will be given throughout the course
of the semester.
4. Final Exam: A cumulative final exam covering all material discussed throughout
the course.
Grading:
Homework and Quizzes: 100 points
Term Paper: 100 points
In-Class Exams: 100 points each (200 points total)
Final Exam: 150 points
Total: 550 points
Approximate grading scale:
A: 93 – 100% AB+: 87 – 89%
B: 83 – 86% BC+: 77 – 79%
C: 73 – 76% CD+: 67 – 69%
D: 63 – 66% DF: below 60%
The grade cut-offs may be lowered, but they will not be raised.
90 – 92%
80 – 82%
70 – 72%
60 – 62%
Lecture Topics:
Week 1: Course introduction and chemical bonding
Week 2: Structure and function of biochemical molecules
Week 3: Biological pathways involved in fermentation
Week 4: Micro-organisms involved in fermentation.
Week 5: Fermentation of dairy products (cheese and yogurt)
Week 6: Fermentation in bread
Week 7: Fermentation in meat preservation
Week 8: Fermentation in vegetable preservation (pickles and sauerkraut).
Week 9: Beer production
Week 10: Wine production
Week 11: Cider and sake
Week 12: Distilled alcoholic beverages.
Week 13: Fermentation for fine and bulk chemical production.
Week 14: Fermentation for pharmaceuticals.
Please Note: All information in this syllabus is subject to change by the instructor at any time.
Bibliography:
Bamforth, Charles W., and Robert E. Ward. The Oxford Handbook of Food
Fermentations. Oxford: Oxford, 2014.
Bamforth, Charles W. Food, Fermentation, and Micro-organisms. Oxford: Blackwell
Science, 2005.
Barth, Roger. The Chemistry of Beer: The Science in the Suds. Hoboken: Wiley, 2013.
Gilbert, Avery. What the Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life. New York:
Crown, 2008.
Holzapfel, W. H., and Brian J. B. Wood. Lactic Acid Bacteria: Biodiversity and
Taxonomy. Oxford: Wiley Blackwell, 2014.
Hutkins, Robert W. Microbiology and Technology of Fermented Foods. Ames:
Blackwell, 2006.
McGee, Harold. On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. New York:
Scribner, 2004.
Standage, Tom. A History of the World in 6 Glasses. New York: Walker, 2005.
Tunick, Michael. The Science of Cheese. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014.
White, Chris, and Jamil Zainasheff. Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation.
Boulder, CO: Brewers Publications, 2010.
Wolke, Robert L., and Marlene Parrish. What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science
Explained. New York: W.W. Norton, 2002.