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- pronunciation:
- f
 r
ment
| part of speech: |
verb |
| inflections: |
ferments, fermenting, fermented |
| definition: |
When a solid or liquid food ferments, the natural sugars contained in the food change to other substances, such as alcohol or acids. Fermenting occurs when some form of bacteria or yeast is added to the food or somehow gets into it. People use the process of fermenting to create certain foods and beverages. Yogurt is a food that is made by fermenting. Yogurt starts out as milk, which has a natural sugar in it called "lactose." A certain kind of bacteria is added to the milk to make it ferment. When the milk ferments, some of the lactose changes into an acid. That's why yogurt has a kind of sour taste.
Milk ferments in the process of making cheese.Grapes ferment in the process of making wine. |
| related words: |
rot |
| derivations: |
fermentable (adj.), fermentability (n.) |
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