Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Anotherbenefitoffermentingorganicmatterinsideaclosedcontaineristhatallofthenutrientsare
retainedintheprocess.Nothingislostthroughrunofforgroundpenetration.Noneofthenitrogenis
losttoammonia,andnoneofthecarbonisoxidizedoffintotheatmosphere.Alloftheaminoacids,
vitamins, enzymes, andnutrients generated orliberated fromthe organic wastes inthe fermentation
process stay contained within the bokashi bucket and ultimately end up exactly where you want
them, in the soil.
A lot of carbon is lost in the traditional composting process when it is volatized off as carbon
dioxide. In addition to being a greenhouse gas, it has been argued that this carbon is needed when
the organic matter is added to the soil in order to ultimately produce polysaccharides, which help
improve the soil structure. By fermenting waste in a closed container without producing CO
2
, you
are putting the carbon and other organic materials directly into the soil when you use the bokashi
pre-compost. This may arguably benefit the soil structure more than the traditional method of ap-
plying already composted organic material, which is devoid of a lot of the original carbon.
The closed container also eliminates any evaporation, and thus the need to add additional water
to the system. With water scarcity becoming more and more of an issue worldwide, this is a big
advantage. The fermenting contents stay moist throughout the process, and the finished product is
still wet when it is applied to the soil. This initially adds moisture to the soil where the bokashi
pre-compost is applied while increasing the long-term water-holding capacity of the soil by supply
organic matter that can be converted into humus by the soil biota. A lot of other soil amendments
and composts are applied to the soil either dry or on the drier side, so they can act as a wick and
draw moisture out of the surrounding soil during their initial application.
The final product is full of beneficial microbes
The microbes inoculated on the bokashi bran and used in the fermentation process aren't just valu-
able for fermenting food waste; they are also valuable when they are introduced to the soil. The
main microbes within the bokashi bran include lactic acid bacteria (LAB), yeast, and purple non-
sulfur bacteria (PNSB). This group of microbes has the ability to perform a variety of beneficial
functions including the breaking down of harmful chemicals and wastes and the ability to create
bioactive substance and beneficial enzymes. All of the microbes in EM·1™ (the most common in-
oculantforbokashibran)arederivedfromnatureandoccurnaturallyinsoilsandwaterwaysaround
the world. These microbes were specifically selected by Dr. Teruo Higa for their ability to perform
their own unique individual functions and function cooperatively in a consortium of beneficial mi-
crobes. The consortium of microorganisms have a lot of uses and real-world applications: they are
used in sewage treatment plants because they have the ability to break down wastes and pollutants;
on farms to help control manure odors; and to process food waste, which they are able to ferment,
thereby speeding up its breakdown.
When you inoculate kitchen waste with bokashi bran, you are introducing these essential mi-
croorganisms to a food source. The microbes then start eating the sugars in the waste and begin to
multiply and ferment the food waste. Some organisms also begin to feed on the waste of other or-
ganisms in the system. For example, the PNSB will feed on dead yeast and LAB bodies, and the
LAB will consume some of the waste products of the PNSB.
Fermentation greatlyincreases thepopulationsofthesemicrobes.Aftertwoweeksofanaerobic
fermentation, the process just doesn't suddenly stop because we said the time is up; the microbes
continue to act on food waste. When you then combine this fermented food waste with soil, you
