Bread Fermentation

Fermentation is an anaerobic metabolic pathway that occurs after the process of glycolysis, breaking down a glucose molecule making a pyruvate. During fermentation process, a pyruvate will further be broken down into either ethanol or lactic acid (which are both toxins). In the case of yeast fermentation, a pyruvate is broken down into ethanol. The smell of baking bread is in part due to the smell of ethanol. Fermentation can produce important nutrients or eliminate antinutrients. Depending on the type of fermentation, some products can be harmful to people's health.
Food fermentation has been said to serve five main purposes:
1) Enrichment of the diet through development of a diversity of flavors, aromas, and textures in food substrates.
2) Preservation of substantial amounts of food through lactic acid, alcohol, acetic acid and alkaline fermentations.
3) Biological enrichment of food substrates with protein, essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, and vitamins.
4) Detoxification during food-fermentation processing.
5) A decrease in cooking times and fuel requirements.