Editing Kimchi (section)

=== By-products of microorganisms ===
The [[lactic acid bacteria]] (LAB) produce [[lactic acid]], [[hydrogen peroxide]], and [[carbon dioxide]] as by-products during metabolism. Lactic acid quickly lowers the pH, creating an acidic environment that is uninhabitable for most other microorganisms that survived salting.<ref name=":1" /> This also modifies the flavor of sub-ingredients and can increase the nutritive value of the raw materials, as the microbial community in the fermentation process can synthesize B vitamins and hydrolyze cellulose in plant tissues to free nutrients that are normally indigestible by the human gastrointestinal tract.<ref name=":1" /> Hydrogen peroxide is formed by the oxidation of reduced [[nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide]] (NADH) and provides an antibiotic to inhibit some undesirable microorganisms.<ref name=":1" /> Carbon dioxide functions as a preservative, flushing out oxygen to create an anaerobic environment, as well as creating the desired carbonation in the final product.<ref name=":1" />