fermentate

Fermentate is a term used to denote a product of fermentation, especially a liquid or slurry produced by microbial or enzymatic processes. As a verb form, fermentate is possible but uncommon in modern usage; the standard verb is ferment.

In practice, fermentates appear in biotechnology, food processing, and agriculture. They may include ethanol, organic acids, enzymes, vitamins, metabolites, or intact microbial cells, depending on the process. The term can refer to the fermentation broth or filtrates used as flavorings, feedstocks, or starting materials for further processing. In some contexts, fermentates are treated or fractionated to separate beneficial compounds from biomass or impurities.

Etymology and history: the word derives from Latin fermentum meaning leaven or yeast, with the -ate suffix forming nouns denoting products or resulting material. In English, fermentate is relatively obscure; it is encountered mainly in older scientific literature or niche technical writing.

See also: fermentation, fermentation broth, fermentation product, fermenter.