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Fermentation: Cooking with Beneficial Microbes

Learn the science behind fermented foods and experiment with making your own through hands-on kitchen projects.

Learn the science behind fermented foods and experiment with making your own through hands-on kitchen projects.

This comprehensive course explores the fascinating world of food fermentation, examining how microbes transform and enhance our food. Students learn about the biochemical processes, microbial communities, and cultural traditions behind various fermented foods. Through hands-on experiments, participants create their own fermented products like mead, sourdough, and tempeh while learning the scientific principles of fermentation. The course covers both beneficial microbes for food preservation and harmful contaminants, combining practical cooking skills with microbiology and chemistry concepts.

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Fermentation: Cooking with Beneficial Microbes

This course includes

14 Weeks

Of Self-paced video lessons

Beginner Level

Completion Certificate

awarded on course completion

21,628

Audit For Free

What you'll learn

  • Understand the history, culture, and science of fermented foods

  • Master the role of beneficial and harmful microbes in food preservation

  • Conduct hands-on fermentation experiments with data analysis

  • Learn scientific principles of chemical and microbial characterization

  • Explore the chemistry of flavor molecules and microbial reactions

Skills you'll gain

Food Science
Fermentation
Microbiology
Biochemistry
Culinary Arts
Food Preservation
Experimental Design
Kitchen Science

This course includes:

PreRecorded video

Graded assignments, exams

Access on Mobile, Tablet, Desktop

Limited Access access

Shareable certificate

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There are 7 modules in this course

This course combines culinary arts with scientific principles to explore food fermentation processes. Students learn about the role of microbes in food production and preservation while conducting hands-on experiments. The curriculum covers various fermentation techniques, from simple carbohydrate fermentations to complex microbial communities. Topics include the chemistry of flavor development, beneficial versus harmful microbes, and the cultural significance of fermented foods. Through practical experiments and scientific analysis, students gain comprehensive understanding of fermentation processes.

Fermentation basics: simple fermentations starting with carbohydrates

Module 1

Fermenting with lactic acid bacteria

Module 2

Microbial communities

Module 3

Flavor production

Module 4

Fermenting with filamentous fungi

Module 5

Aged meat and cheese

Module 6

Ecological succession in fermentation

Module 7

Fee Structure

Instructors

Pia Sörensen
Pia Sörensen

6 Courses

A Pioneering Educator Bridging Science and Culinary Arts

Dr. Pia Sörensen serves as Senior Preceptor in Chemical Engineering and Applied Materials at Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, where she directs the innovative Science and Cooking program. Her academic foundation includes a bachelor's degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry from Yale University and a PhD in chemical biology from Harvard University. As lead instructor of the popular general education course "Science and Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science," she collaborates with world-renowned chefs to demonstrate scientific principles through culinary applications. Her teaching portfolio includes developing novel courses like "Flavor Molecules of Food Fermentation: Exploration and Inquiry" and leading the transformation of traditional courses into successful online formats, including Science&CookingX, one of EdX's largest courses. She has authored several influential works, including the bestseller "Science and Cooking: Physics Meets Food, from Homemade to Haute Cuisine" and two volumes on online chemistry education. Her research interests span from science education innovation to food chemistry and fermentation processes, while her public lecture series regularly draws hundreds of attendees and has garnered up to 160,000 views per lecture online.

A Pioneering Leader in Microbial Sciences and Science Communication

Dr. Roberto Kolter, born and raised in Guatemala, has established himself as a distinguished figure in microbiology through his 35-year tenure at Harvard Medical School from 1983 to 2018. After earning his BS in Biology from Carnegie Mellon University and PhD from UC San Diego, he built an influential research program that trained over 130 scientists and produced more than 250 publications garnering over 80,000 citations. His laboratory made groundbreaking contributions to bacterial physiology, biofilm formation, and microbial interactions. As Co-director of Harvard's Microbial Sciences Initiative from 2003-2018, he bridged research and public engagement. Now as Professor Emeritus, he continues to shape the field through science communication, including co-authoring "Life at the Edge of Sight," creating the traveling exhibition "World in a Drop," and developing the Harvard Museum of Natural History's "Microbial Life" exhibition. He teaches at prestigious summer courses including the Microbial Diversity Course at Marine Biological Laboratory and is developing a HarvardX MOOC on fermentation and microbial foods. His leadership extends to serving as past president of the American Society for Microbiology and as a fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Academy of Microbiology.

Fermentation: Cooking with Beneficial Microbes

This course includes

14 Weeks

Of Self-paced video lessons

Beginner Level

Completion Certificate

awarded on course completion

21,628

Audit For Free

Testimonials

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Frequently asked questions

Below are some of the most commonly asked questions about this course. We aim to provide clear and concise answers to help you better understand the course content, structure, and any other relevant information. If you have any additional questions or if your question is not listed here, please don't hesitate to reach out to our support team for further assistance.