Food & Drink
Fermentation Advanced Quiz
From koji molds to kombucha SCOBYs — master microbial cooking
From koji molds to kombucha SCOBYs — master microbial cooking
Koji mold (Aspergillus oryzae) is so culturally important it was designated Japan's official 'national microbe' in 2006. Fermentation is one of humanity's oldest preservation and flavor-making techniques, and modern restaurants like Noma have pushed it from traditional kitchens to laboratory-grade culinary R&D.
Each round presents 10 randomized questions from a pool of 50, with four multiple-choice options and instant feedback after every answer. Your final score comes with a performance tier and shareable results.
You'll explore lactic and alcoholic fermentation, koji's enzymatic magic in sake and miso, kombucha SCOBYs, sourdough microbiology, Belgian lambic Brettanomyces, natto's nattokinase, ancient garum, Pasteur's foundational microbiology, and the modern fermentation revival from Sandor Katz to René Redzepi.
Lactic acid fermentation uses bacteria like Lactobacillus to convert sugars into lactic acid (sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt). Alcoholic fermentation uses yeasts to convert sugars into ethanol and CO2 (beer, wine, bread).
Aspergillus oryzae secretes amylase and protease enzymes that break starch into sugars and protein into amino acids, enabling sake, miso, and soy sauce production.
A SCOBY is a Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast — primarily Gluconacetobacter xylinus and yeasts like Brettanomyces — that ferments sweet tea into a tangy, lightly carbonated beverage.
Last updated: April 2026