>>21633780
>>21633807
Fortuitously and unknowingly, we can now also see that the fermentation process, which was originally aimed at preserving food, actually did much more.
In fact, during fermentation, multiple processes take place some are shared across different foods, while others are specific to the particular food being fermented.
For example, in whole grains, a spontaneous fermentation that involves soaking them in just water for an extended period activates the phytases present in the grain kernel. Once activated, these enzymes break down phytic acid, which is responsible for chelating the minerals found in the bran and the outer layers of the grain.
In general, fermentation also leads to an increase in both the quantity and quality of proteins, thanks to the biomass of fermentative bacteria. In some cases, there is even an increase or preservation of vitamins such as vitamin C in sauerkraut which degrades much more slowly than in fruit (taking only a few weeks instead of many months). This is what allowed sailors to avoid dying from scurvy because they weren't able to preserve fresh fruits
A prime example is soy: in fact, it was rarely consumed as it is, but has almost always been eaten after undergoing fermentation processes (primarily bacterial). Only recently, within the last 100 years, have people started consuming unfermented soy, such as soy milk.
In the case of natto, fermentation works remarkably well: it improves the digestibility of proteins through protease activity, leads to the development of nattokinase, a powerful fibrinolytic enzyme, and results in the formation of a remarkable amount of vitamin K2, specifically in the MK-7 form, which is essential for osteogenesis and is practically absent in fresh food.
Vitamin K2 is produced by converting K1, which is found in fresh foods, but the conversion process is inefficient.
