https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprouting Was this not known in Europe?
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1Why do you believe that it wasn't?– KillingTimeMar 24, 2018 at 20:50
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Because i found no reference to it - dit you?– HannesHMar 24, 2018 at 21:10
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You've simply been searching for the wrong term - see my answer below.– Pieter GeerkensMar 24, 2018 at 21:20
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There is a reason the terms differ - see my answer below.– HannesHMar 24, 2018 at 21:31
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@HannesH Something seems to be missing - did you forget to post your answer?– pipeNov 14, 2018 at 10:26
2 Answers
Beer is made by fermenting a malt (or mashed grain) such as barley. The process of malting begins identically as that of preparing sprouts for food, except it is then halted by drying.
Since beer-making in this way has been known to European and Middle Eastern cultures for thousands of years, then the process of sprouting was also known to those same cultures.
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Sure, but i am asking for sprouting for food production. Malting is a technique to make weeds that farmers had in the first place (and could have eaten anyway) into a source of sugar needed for alcohol production. I don't know of any refernce to this beeing a technique to produce a new kind of food (which in Asia, it was).– HannesHMar 24, 2018 at 21:29
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3@HannesH: Beer is a food. One that is high in Vitamin E, just for starters. Mar 25, 2018 at 1:33
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@HannesH: Besides which - I'd rather have beer than sprouts anytime, any place. Not everyone enjoys them. Mar 25, 2018 at 11:51
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1@PieterGeerkens beer is a food as in : a balanced diet is a pint in each hand ... Mar 25, 2018 at 12:20
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Yes, "The beer is a liquid bread of the Czech Nation" (citation from "Adela hadn't had her dinner yet"). And the direct use for food only had not sense - sprouts has less calories than grain.– GangnusMar 27, 2018 at 11:21
An example of solid food made from sprouted seeds is the Finnish speciality of mämmi/memma, which is made from malted rye and traditionally eaten at Easter. It seems to be attested since at least the 18th century (source in Finnish, I used Google translate).