In some places where clean water is not available drinking beer can be considered safer than water. When thinking about this it seems very odd because beer is not considered a replacement or healthier option than water. However, fermented foods are considered safe because of their acidic flavors that create an environment that pathogenic microbes do not like. So beer might be safer to drink in areas that do not have clean water.
Fermented foods also have the ability to limit food waste. Spoiled or defective foods can be fermented to create desirable products. Fermentation has the ability to transfer textures and flavors of products. This means that the waste from food can be made into something new that can be consumed. Fermentation also has the ability to preserve foods through the use of lactic acid bacteria. Extending the shelf life will help to reduce the amount of waste as food products will last longer so less product has to be thrown out. In addition to extending the shelf life of product fermented foods also can enhance the nutritional profile which optimizes the most of the resources available.
There are many different ways to use fermentation to reduce food waste from using food scraps to create a new product to infusing food waste. The opportunities that are available from fermented foods are very limited which makes it a create option for addressing food waste.