Fermentation station: UW-Stout microbiology students boost skillsets with pungent lab experiments University of Wisconsin-Stout

On a recent day in Jarvis Hall at University of Wisconsin-Stout, about a dozen pairs of students leaned against lab tables and dug into the results of fermentation experiments they had created.

The strong smells coming from vials in the Rajiv and Swati Lall Microbiology Lab were proof that they had indeed succeeded at fermentation. Each experiment used a different raw, organic material and posed questions. How long did whey, sauerkraut or sourdough starter take to ferment? How much ethanol was being produced in kimchi? How did various inputs and controls impact the process of making mead?

Their tests had greater value than a letter grade. As food science, dietetics, applied science-biology and other majors, they were learning the scientific process with industry-standard testing equipment, skills that can be applied to their careers.

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