Discover the special effects of Italian fermented foods

Within the framework of the Italian Cuisine Week in Vietnam, on November 14, the workshop "Decoding the never-before-mentioned effects of fermented foods in daily life" took place, attracting the participation of professors in the food technology industry and international culinary experts, bringing to the audience both a scientific and a life perspective on dishes prepared using fermentation methods.

Italian chef practices making fermented foods at the Workshop. (Photo: Hong Chau)

Coming from two different cultures, Vietnamese and Italian cuisines have many surprising similarities, one of which is the method of food processing by fermentation. Vietnamese fish sauce and Italian cheese are both ingredients that possess the characteristic flavors of the two countries' cuisines, which are obtained thanks to the fermentation process of microorganisms. Fermentation can be considered one of the first processing methods applied by humans to preserve food.

Fermentation (fervere) in Latin means to ripen. It is also known as “life without air”, because most of the microorganisms involved in this process “grow” in anaerobic conditions. At the Workshop, Professor Francesca De Filippis from the Federico II University of Naples highlighted the advantages of fermented microorganisms in enhancing flavor and bringing health benefits.

Fermented foods act as a natural probiotic supplement, provide beneficial bacteria to the intestines. The professor also stated that there is still a lot of potential when it comes to the advantages of fermented microorganisms in traditional dishes.

Through the workshop, attendees also had the opportunity to learn about fermentation methods in the process of making anchovy fish sauce, or typical Vietnamese soy sauces through the presentation of Professor Trinh Ngoc Nam (Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry). The audience was also very excited by the historical information about traditional fermented dishes in Vietnamese cuisine by Professor Nguyen Van Loi, Head of the Faculty of Food Science and Technology, University of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

Overview of the Workshop. (Photo: Hong Chau)

The event also marks the collaboration of the Hanoi Slow Food Community, the Parma Ham Association, and the Tecolino Romano Association in introducing delicious and nutritious dishes inspired by Italian cuisine.

The workshop concluded with a hands-on session where all guests enjoyed a selection of fermented dishes from both Vietnam and Italy. The fusion of these two cuisines was not only a satisfying taste experience but also an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the beneficial effects of fermented foods in everyday life.

This seminar is an event within the framework of the 8th Italian Gastronomy Week in Vietnam (from November 13 to November 19), an annual initiative with the participation of the entire network of Italian diplomatic agencies.

With the theme: “Enjoy Italian Cuisine: Sublime flavors with healthy ingredients”, the Embassy of Italy wishes to spread to the community information and knowledge about the nutritious and healthy Mediterranean cuisine, as well as promote the diversity of Italian culinary culture to food lovers and cultural experiencers.

Other activities taking place within the framework of Italian Cuisine Week:

“Taste! Italians and Cuisine 1970-2050” exhibition, artwork depicting the evolution of Italian eating habits in the past, present and future (November 15-22).

Exhibition "Taste of Italy: Displaying products with a strong Italian character", in collaboration with the Italian Trade Office (November 16).

Casa Italia Wine Festival, a two-day Italian wine tasting event with the participation of major wine distributors in Vietnam (November 18-19).

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/kham-pha-tac-dung-dac-biet-cua-thuc-pham-len-men-italy-250121.html