In order to enhance the flavour, texture, nutritional value, or shelf life of food, we have developed a variety of food processing techniques, such as air drying, smoking, fermentation using microorganisms, etc. We have also invented various chemical additives. Likewise, different organisms in nature also "process" food for different purposes. We also benefit from this, obtaining ingredients that are either rich in nutrients or with unique flavours.
Honey and Propolis
Bees are among the most diligent of creatures. After collecting nectar from flowers, they return immediately to the hive to dehydrate and process it. The bee colony vibrates their wings frequently to remove moisture from the hive. In addition to this, they suck on the nectar and regurgitate it repeatedly to cut its water content down to below 20%, thereby extending the shelf life of honey.
In addition, some bee species collect sticky substances from various parts of plants. They mainly gather resin secreted on tree bark and buds, and then mix it with their saliva, beeswax, pollen, etc., processing it to produce a natural substance called "propolis". The word "propolis" comes from the Greek word meaning "collective defence", indicating its natural antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties. Bees apply propolis inside the hive to inhibit the spread of pathogens within the hive, maintaining colony health. Humans learned to use propolis as a medicinal raw material a long time ago; later, however, it became a dietary supplement. Since not all bee species produce propolis, and harvesting propolis is challenging, its production is much lower than honey, and its price is higher.
"Cat Poop Coffee"
The name "Cat Poop Coffee" refers to Kopi Luwak, which originates from Indonesia and is one of the most expensive coffees globally. It is said that in the early 18th century, farmers in the Dutch East Indies were prohibited by the colonial government from harvesting coffee beans, leaving them no choice but to collect undigested coffee beans found in the faeces of local civet cats, which led to the accidental discovery of this uniquely flavoured coffee.
Civet cats love to feed on the fruits of coffee trees, but they can only digest the pulp, leaving the coffee beans to ferment in their stomachs before being excreted. After natural fermentation in the civet cat’s digestive system, the coffee beans emit a distinctive aroma, and they lose their inherent bitterness. The resulting taste is something no conventionally processed coffee can compare!
However, Kopi Luwak beans harvested from wild civet cats are extremely rare, giving rise to unscrupulous traders who cage civet cats and force-feed them to produce these coffee beans. Fortunately, in recent years, scholars have successfully extracted probiotics from the digestive systems of civet cats, making it possible to produce "cat poop coffee" without harming the civet cats.
Honey-scented Tea
Farmers dread pests more than anything else, but there’s one insect that feeds on the tender shoots of tea plants and is highly valued by tea growers. The insect is called the "tea jassid" (Jacobiasca formosana).
When a tea jassid feeds on the tender shoots of a tea plant, it triggers the release of a chemical compound with a unique honey-scented aroma from the tea plant. Having been "processed" by the tea jassid, the tea plant produces sweet, delightful tea leaves that yield what is called "honey-scented tea".
Studies have found that tea plants release the honey scent as a means to attract natural predators of the tea jassid, thereby repelling them. This is a targeted distress signal that is only produced in response to the natural stimulation of the tea jassid and cannot be artificially induced. As a result, the emergence of honey-scented tea has prompted many tea farmers to transition to environmentally friendly cultivation methods to avoid killing off tea jassids by means of excessive pesticide use. Tea jassids, unknowingly, have not only improved the flavour of tea leaves, but have also made significant contributions to agricultural habitat conservation!
