Description
A traditional Southeast Asian method that uses lacquered bamboo jars to create an anaerobic environment for lactic acid fermentation of fish or soybeans.
Technical
The lacquer seals the porous bamboo, reducing oxygen ingress to <0.5 % at 25 °C, while the bamboo’s cellulose and hemicellulose provide fermentable sugars. Indigenous cellulases hydrolyze these polysaccharides, yielding 5–10 % sugars that lactic acid bacteria convert to lactic acid, lowering pH to 3.5–4.5 and producing ethanol up to 3 % v/v. CO₂ buildup (~2–3 % v/v) further stabilizes the environment.
Science
Primary Reaction
lactic acid fermentation
Sensory Profile
Aroma ()
earthynuttysubtle sweetfermentedwoody
Origin & History
Civilization
Southeast Asian bamboo culture
Era