Bacteria: Our Funny Valentine

For many of us, Valentine's Day means chocolates, flowers, fancy meals and romantic evenings. Would you be surprised to hear that bacteria plays an important role in each of those elements of this holiday of love? In today's post, we will look at how the humble and unseen bacteria make Valentine's Day possible.

Chocolate | Open up a heart-shaped box of chocolates and you will be pleased to see the shiny bite-sized treats and inhale their tempting aroma. Bacteria play a vital, natural role in chocolate production. Acetic acid bacteria (and yeast) ferment the cacao bean pulp, creating the distinctive and complex flavors of fine chocolate. The microbes also convert sugars and alcohols into acids, which are considered "flavor precursors," the non-volatile compounds that generate aroma and flavors in the foods we enjoy.

Flowers | A bouquet of fresh flowers bursts with color, texture, and perfume. Flowers, including roses, depend on bacteria as essential growth promoters, helping with nutrient uptake, root development, and stress resistance. For roses specifically, bacteria provide the phytotechnical characteristics such as woody, prickly stems and fragrant flowers by enhancing the production of essential oil in the plant. Each step of a plant's growth, from seed to bloom, is made possible by bacteria.

Fine Foods | A traditional Valentine's Day dinner of wine and cheese, steak, and ending with a cup of espresso could never be prepared without bacteria. The unique bacteria present on the grapes from different regions adds to the "biogeographical fingerprint" of wine even before they are processed. Lactic acid bacteria then ferments the grape juice, also reducing acidity and even improving the way wine feels in the mouth (and clings to the side of a glass). Bacteria also help release aromas in wine as well as its subtle flavors. Much of the same processes can be found in cheesemaking, with the bacteria again breaking down fats and proteins, enhancing flavor, texture, and aroma. Aged beef also benefits from bacteria breaking down fats and proteins, this time tenderizing the meat and preventing spoilage during dry-aging. The final cup of espresso, much like chocolate, depends on bacteria to break down the coffee beans to facilitate processing while also helping develop flavor. If you go home and enjoy a beer after the festivities, bacteria plays a role in that, too.

Romance | Bacteria and... romance?? Indeed, the bacteria that live on our skin play a very important role in creating human odor, possibly including the pheromones that draw us together. Our body releases odorless fluids from our apocrine glands, where skin bacteria break it down, creating odors unique to each person's microflora. While no study has pinpointed specific pheromones that are enhanced by skin bacteria, it is suspected that adrostadienone and estratetraenol may be affected. Studies seem to indicate that a healthy gut microbiome can help regulate oxytocin (the "love hormone") production. 

Bacteria gets a bad rap. We seem to only discuss bacteria when it shows up where it's not wanted: Rotting food, plant diseases, and dangerous infections are just a few. Bacteria's "looks are laughable, unphotographable," but we need our Funny Valentine to stay. Without it, we would not be who we are today, every day, even Valentine's Day!