Indigenous Fermented Foods Research Articles

Effects of food spices on Gram-negative food indicator bacteria from some Nigerian ethnic fermented plant food condiments

Varied but multiple antibiotic resistance rates were exhibited by all the foodborne indicator bacterial species, Citrobacter, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter, Klebsiella,Morganella morganii, Salmonella, Shigella, Pseudomonas isolated from four most-popular Nigerian indigenous fermented plant food condiments ogiri, iru, okpehe andugba. The generally most-resisted antibiotics (discs) were tetracycline (44.0 - 63.0%), cotrimoxazole (56.0 - 70.3%), nalidixic acid (28.0 - 74.1%), amoxicillin (28.0 - 88.9%) and augmentin (16.0 - 94.4%), while the least resisted antibiotics were ofloxacillin (0.0% - 1.85%) and gentamicin (4.0 - 16.7%). Antibacterial activities of crude extracts of local spices and essential oils of plant origin, as well as carvone, lactic and acetic acids on the multiple antibiotic resistant Gram-negative foodborne bacterial species were determined using modified agar well-diffusion assay. Crude extracts of Eugeniaaromatica (92.0%) and Allium sativum (72.0%) were maximally inhibitory; lactic (44.4%) and acetic (46.3%) acids were moderately inhibitory but essential oils of Eugeniauniflora (24.0%), Ageratum conyzoides (16.7%) and Chrsophylum albidium juice (13.0%) were minimally inhibitory in vitro, indicating that crude extracts of E. aromaticaand A. sativum can serve as easily prepared, non-chemical, plant-based, adjunct preservatives of fermented condiments both domestically and industrially, even by the traditional producers of the indigenous and similar condiments. Key words: Cottage food production, essential oils, food safety, food processing, multiple antibiotic resistance, Nigerian indigenous fermented foods, plant foods.

Genotypic characterization and safety assessment of lactic acid bacteria from indigenous African fermented food products

BackgroundIndigenous fermented food products play an essential role in the diet of millions of Africans. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are among the predominant microbial species in African indigenous fermented food products and are used for different applications in the food and biotechnology industries. Numerous studies have described antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of LAB from different parts of the world. However, there is limited information on antimicrobial resistance profiles of LAB from Africa. The aim of this study was to characterize 33 LAB previously isolated from three different African indigenous fermented food products using (GTG)5-based rep-PCR, sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and species-specific PCR techniques for differentiation of closely related species and further evaluate their antibiotic resistance profiles by the broth microdilution method and their haemolytic activity on sheep blood agar plates as indicators of safety traits among these bacteria.ResultsUsing molecular biology based methods and selected phenotypic tests such as catalase reaction, CO2 production from glucose, colonies and cells morphology, the isolates were identified as Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus ghanensis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus salivarius, Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides, Pediococcus acidilactici, Pediococcus pentosaceus and Weissella confusa. The bacteria were susceptible to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, clindamycin and erythromycin but resistant to vancomycin, kanamycin and streptomycin. Variable sensitivity profiles to tetracycline and gentamicin was observed among the isolates with Lb. plantarum, Lb. salivarius, W. confusa (except strain SK9-5) and Lb. fermentum strains being susceptible to tetracycline whereas Pediococcus strains and Lb. ghanensis strains were resistant. For gentamicin, Leuc. pseudomesenteroides, Lb. ghanensis and Ped. acidilactici strains were resistant to 64 mg/L whereas some W. confusa and Lb. plantarum strains had a MIC value of 16 mg/L and 32 mg/L respectively. No β-haemolytic activity was observed, however, α-haemolytic activity was observed in 27% (9) of the strains comprising Lb. salivarius (6), W. confusa (2) and Lb. delbrueckii (1) isolates.ConclusionsThe resistance to kanamycin and vancomycin is probably an intrinsic feature since similar observations were reported in the literature for LAB. Low prevalence of pathogenicity indicator traits were observed among the isolates especially with the presence of poor haemolytic activities and they could therefore be considered as interesting candidates for selection of starter cultures or probiotics for different applications.

NONVOLATILE TASTE COMPOUNDS OF JIANGLUOBO (A TRADITIONAL CHINESE FERMENTED FOOD)

ABSTRACT Jiangluobo, an indigenous fermented food, is currently available in south China for use as food and food‐flavoring materials. The nonvolatile components were studied by high performance liquid chromatography. Their taste impacts were evaluated by taste active values (TAVs) and equivalent umami concentration (EUC) methods. Compared with salted radish, Jiangluobo was high in contents of carbohydrate, crude protein and crude fat. Glucose, xylose and fructose were detected in Jiangluobo and total amounts of sugars were 148.95 mg/g dry weight. The total free amino acids content of Jiangluobo was 22.42 mg/g dry weight and monosodium glutamate (MSG)‐like components was high (8.10 mg/g dry weight). The contents of flavor 5′‐nucleotides were also high in Jiangluobo (105.47 mg/100 g dry weight). Glucose, xylose, glutamic acid, aspartic acid and disodium 5′‐guanosine monophosphate (GMP) were of high TAVs (greater than one), and they had strong taste impacts on the flavor of Jiangluobo. The EUC was 116.81 g MSG/100 g Jiangluobo, which meant that the umami taste of the Jiangluobo was very intense. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Jiangluobo is one of the most important traditional fermented foods in south China, and its important quality aspects are nonvolatile components. The nonvolatile taste components are of great significance for further development of its processing into high quality consumer products. The main objectives of this study are to investigate the nonvolatile taste composition and evaluate their taste impacts by taste active values and equivalent umami concentration methods. The information obtained from this study could be used as a guideline for optimizing the process conditions to control the quality of Jiangluobo.

Current applications of probiotic foods in Africa

Currently, there is a growing interest in the consumption of probiotic foods due to their reported health benefits. In developed countries, probiotics have been extensively studied and this has led to the production of a variety of probiotic foods especially with dairy milk. However, the use of beverages from plant materials as a potential carrier of probiotic microorganisms is receiving increasing attention. Various indigenous fermented foods containing probiotic bacteria have been part of local diet in Africa due to reported medicinal properties they possess. However, the usual challenge confronting the commercialization of the probiotic beverage drinks in Africa is the safety assessment of probiotic strains due to lack of requisite facilities as well as technical manpower. This review therefore, captures local fermented drinks that are usually consumed as probiotic foods by Africans. Key words: Probiotics, functional foods, non dairy sources, safety assessment, African applications.

Development of an indigenously fermented Indian bread – doli ki roti

PurposeSome of the indigenous fermented foods of India seem to be very nutritious but not scientifically proved. Moreover, due to urbanisation and changing food habits and lifestyles, people are abandoning such nutritious recipes. This paper aims to collect such indigenous technical knowledge, standardise it under laboratory conditions and analyse it organoleptically and for various nutrients.Design/methodology/approachDoli ki roti – an indigenous nutritional fermented bread popular among Indian Punjabis migrated from Pakistan – is a wheat‐based product. Natural fermentation is carried out in an earthen pot called doli in vernacular language. The final product was a stuffed puri‐like preparation (a puri is a fried small fermented wheat bread stuffed with spice‐cooked chickpeas). Its preparation was learned from rural households and standardised under laboratory conditions. The product prepared was improved further to make it rich in micronutrients and protein. It was analysed for proximate nutrients, phytic acid and in vitro digestibility of starch and protein using standard AOAC methods.FindingsThe unfermented bread had 632.3 mg phytic acid per 100 g but this reduced significantly to an extent of 5‐18 per cent due to fermentation at 35°C and for both time periods, i.e. 18 h and 24 h. This significant reduction in the phytic acid content culminated in a marked improvement in protein (28‐50 per cent) and starch (57‐88 per cent) digestibility. The higher the temperature and the longer the period of fermentation, the more significant (p<0.05) were the changes seen in the phytic acid content, and a significant and negative correlation between the two further strengthened the findings.Research limitations/implicationsSuch a product can be further improved nutritionally by making it rich in beta‐carotene. Instead of frying, it can be baked in the oven for health‐conscious people suffering from hypercholesterolemia.Practical implicationsOn the basis of the findings of the present study, people should be encouraged not to abandon healthy eating practices but continue with their traditional healthy food habits. They should be motivated to prepare and eat fermented foods having the right combination of cereals, pulses and leafy vegetables.Originality/valueThis is an original paper based on an original idea. It is based on the research findings of the MSc thesis of the first author, who worked under the guidance of the second author.

Polyphasic taxonomic characterization of lactic acid bacteria isolated from spontaneous sorghum fermentations used to produce ting, a traditional South African food

Ting, an indigenous cooked fermented food made from sorghum flour, is consumed extensively in South Africa. Due to the spontaneous nature of the sorghum fermentation considerable variations in the sensory and microbial quality of the end-product may occur, thus hampering large-scale production of this food. The use of starter cultures purified from the fermented sorghum may be an alternative approach to obtain ting of consistent quality. The aim of this study was therefore to identify the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) associated with ting fermentation using a polyphasic approach. Phenotypic characterization and sequence analysis of the genes encoding the 16S subunit of the ribosomal RNA (rrs) and phenylalanyl tRNA synthase (pheS) were used. The results of these analyses showed that ting fermentation involved at least three different species of LAB, i.e. Lactobacillus fermentum, L. plantarum and L. rhamnosus. To our knowledge, this is the first report of polyphasic taxonomic characterization of LAB from this food. This research forms an essential first step towards the development of relevant starter cultures to produce ting of consistent quality.

Microbial loads and incidence of food-borne indicator bacteria in most popular indigenous fermented food condiments from middle-belt and southwestern Nigeria

The food indicator bacteriological quality of 1 501 samples of most-consumed Nigerian fermented food condiments (iru n = 1 125, ogiri n = 148, okpehe n = 113 and ugba n = 115), randomly obtained from various markets in eleven major cities of Nigeria, was determined. A total of 472 strains of Staphylococcus aureus and 3 556 Gram-negative indicator bacterial strains, Escherichia coli (863 [24.3%]),Klebsiella pneumoniae (671 [18.8%]), Proteus mirabilis (591 [16.6%]) andPseudomonas aeruginosa (374 [10.5%]) were isolated. The other isolated bacterial species were Klebsiella aerogenes (299 [8.4%]); Citrobacter aerogenes (264 [7.4%]); Enterobacter aerogenes (227 [6.4%]); Shigella dysenteriae (168 [4.7%]),Shigella flexneri (60 [1.7%]) and Shigella sonnei (39 [1.1%]). The most frequently recovered bacterial species from iru were E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis andP. aeruginosa, while E. coli, K. pneumoniae and P. mirabilis were the most recovered from ogiri. Similarly, E. coli and K. pneumoniae were the most recovered species from okpehe and ugba samples, indicating lack of process efficiency of the cottage-produced fermented food products. Key words: Coliforms, condiments, fermentation, food-borne pathogens, food poisoning, food safety, HACCP, indicator organisms, indigenous, microbial quality.

Review Article: A Review on the Microbiology of Indigenous Fermented Foods and Beverages of Ethiopia

Review Article: A Review on the Microbiology of Indigenous Fermented Foods and Beverages of Ethiopia

Prevention of salt induced hypertension in rats by oral administration of <i>Lactobacillus acidophilus</i> Yoghurt

A high salt diet can elevate blood pressure in humans and other susceptible animal species. A high proportion of our indigenous foods are fermented products and Lactobacillus species have been reported to be the predominant flora in many of our indigenous fermentation processes. In this study, the effect of concurrent oral administration of a yoghurt (produced by fermenting skimmed milk with a strain of L. acidophilus isolated from an indigenous fermented food) on salt loaded male Sprague-Dawley rats was investigated. The acidophilus yoghurt was found to prevent the development of hypertension in the salt loaded rats (p Keywords :Hypertension, salt, Lactobacillus acidophilus , probiotic, yoghurt. Nigerian Food Journal Vol. 25 (1) 2007: pp. 184-189

Yeast diversity in rice–cassava fermentations produced by the indigenous Tapirapé people of Brazil

The Tapirapé people of the Tapi'itãwa tribe of Brazil produce several fermented foods and beverages, one of which is called 'cauim'. This beverage usually makes up the main staple food for adults and children. Several substrates are used in its production, including cassava, rice, corn, maize and peanuts. A fermentation using rice and cassava was conducted, and samples were collected at 4-h intervals for microbial analysis. The yeast population was low at the beginning of the fermentation and reached 6.9 x 10(7) CFU mL(-1) after 48 h. During the fermentation process common yeast species were identified by sequencing of the D1/D2 domain of the large-subunit (26S) rRNA gene. The predominant yeast species found was Candida tropicalis. Candida intermedia, Candida parapsilosis, Pichia guilliermondii, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Trichosporon asahii were also found in high numbers during the fermentation. Exophiala dermatidis, often associated with blastomycosis, was found in the mass before inoculation and during the initial stages of the fermentation. Examination of these indigenous fermented foods may provide clues as to how food production and preservation can be expanded and thereby contribute to improve nutrition in native tribes in the region.

In vitro antimicrobial characteristics of bacteriocin- producing Lactobacillus strains from Nigerian indigenous fermented foods

A total of 50 bacteriocin-producing Lactobacillus strains isolated from some Nigerian indigenous fermented foods and beverages (ogi, fufu, garri and nono) and characterized as L. acidophilus, L. casei, L. fermentum, L. lactis and L. plantarum were screened for their inhibitory potentials against food-borne pathogenic indicator bacterial isolates; Acinetobater sp., Alkaligenes sp., Enterobacter aerogenes, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Shigella flexneri, from the same or similar fermented food sources, and against clinical indicator bacterial isolates and type cultures- Bacillus subtilis NCTC8236, K12 Escherichia coli V157, NCTC11560, Vibrio INABA B. cereus CIS25, CIS32, B. licheniformis CIS26, Pseudomonas aeruginosa CIS23, Klebsiella aerogenes CIS24, Kleb. pneumoniae CIS29V and Kleb. aerogenes CIS55. It was observed that each fermented food had its own microbial interaction with minimal in vitro inhibitory activity (1.5 – 10.0%) by the bacteriocin-producing Lactobacillus strains against the indicator bacterial isolates from the fermented foods and beverages, indicating narrow to moderate antimicrobial spectrum; while the inhibitory profiles against the clinical bacterial isolates and the type cultures by the putative strains were between 75.0 – 100.0%. The effect of different pH on the antimirobial potentials of the Lactobacillus strains indicates highest inhibitory activities between 5.5 and 7.5. The survival rates of the pathogenic indicator bacteria in the fermented food sources were between 8 and 14 days while the clinical isolates survived in simulated fermented food samples between 5 and 9 days.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS OF TRADITIONAL TARHANA HAVING DIFFERENT FORMULATIONS

Cereal-based fermented foods play an important role in the diets of many people in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and some parts of Europe. Containing cereal and animal-based nutrients, richer with fermentation products, produced with yeast and lactic acid bacteria, tarhana is a type of soup having a delicious and desired taste. It is a good source of protein and vitamins and therefore is used largely for feeding children and the elderly. Because there is no standard production method, the nutritional properties of tarhana strictly depend on ingredients and their ratios in the formulation. In this research, the compositions of 21 tarhana samples collected from different locations in Turkey were examined. Moisture, ash, salt, protein, crude fat, acidity degree and reducing sugar values of the samples changed between 9.35 and 66.4, 1.36 and 9.40, 0.62 and 9.01, 6.77 and 28.55, 0.43 and 15.78, 1.7 and 40.7, and 0.22 and 1.85%, respectively. The nutritional importance of tarhana is the improvement of the basic cereal protein diet by adding dairy protein in a highly accepted form. Like tarhana, indigenous fermented foods that enhance health properties should receive much more attention that they deserve.

Yeast, cocoa beans and chocolate

Yeast play a key role in the fermentation of many foods andbeverages. The best known examples are bread, beer and wine, where understanding of the ecology, biochemistry, physiology and genomics of the yeast contribution is well advanced. Yeast also have prominent roles in the production of other well-known commodities, such as cheeses, salami-style meat sausages, and soy sauce, where their activities in the fermentation and maturation processes are attracting increasing research. Still, there are many other products where yeast have a significant role in fermentation, but aspects of their contributions and how these impact on product quality remain a mystery. Such products include many indigenous fermented foods of Asia, Africa and Central and South America, and two economically important cash crops, cocoa beans and coffee. Consider life without chocolate or good quality coffee! We have been studying cocoa bean fermentations in Indonesia and now in North Queensland, Australia. In this article, we review the role of yeast in the production of cocoa beans and chocolate.

Surface binding of aflatoxin B 1 by Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains with potential decontaminating abilities in indigenous fermented foods

Saccharomyces cerevisiae constitutes one of the most important microorganisms involved in food fermentations throughout the world. Aflatoxin B 1 binding abilities of S. cerevisiae strains isolated from indigenous fermented foods from Ghana, West Africa were tested in vitro. Results show that aflatoxin binding was strain specific with 7 strains binding 10–20%, 8 strains binding 20–40% and 3 strains binding more than 40% of the added aflatoxin B 1 when grown and incubated under standard conditions. Binding by two of the strains was further characterized. Highest binding capacity was seen with cells collected at the exponential growth phase with the strains A18 and 26.1.11 binding 53.0 and 48.8% of the total toxin respectively and the binding reduced towards the stationary phase. Aflatoxin B 1 binding increased steadily when the cells were incubated with 1 to 20 μg/ml of aflatoxin B 1. Binding was not affected by the cells grown at temperatures ranging from 20 to 37 °C, but was significantly reduced at 15 °C. Binding seems to be a physical phenomenon with cells treated at 52, 55 and 60 °C for 5 and 10 min or 120 °C for 20 min binding significantly higher quantities (more than 2-fold in 120 °C treated cells) of aflatoxin B 1 than their viable counterpart. Similarly, when the cells were treated with 2 M HCl for 1 h, up to 2-fold increase in binding was observed. The results obtained show that some strains of S. cerevisiae, viable or non-viable, are effective aflatoxin binders and these properties should be considered in the selection of starter cultures for relevant indigenous fermented foods where high aflatoxin level is a potential health risk.

Microbial Studies on Aisa: A Potential Indigenous Laboratory Fermented Food Condiment from Albizia saman (Jacq.) F. Mull

A total of 134 bacterial isolates characterized as Bacillus cereus var. mycoides, B. coagulans, B. licheniformis, B. megaterium, B. pumilus, B. subtilis, Staphylococcus cereus and S. saprophyticus were isolated from fermenting Albizia saman seeds during the laboratory production of aisa, a potential food seasoning condiment. Bacillus species were the most predominant species and produced the highest ammoniacal smell characteristic of typical indigenous fermented food condiments. There was a genera l increase in the microbial population throughout the fermentation period. The pH of the fermenting mash was between 6.5-8.2. The physical observation of the fermented mash was dark brown in appearance with creamish mucilaginous slime, moulding the fermented cotyledons together. Process optimization of th e fermenting aisa mash indicated optimal fermentation temperature of 45 -50 C, optimal pH of 6.9-8.2, while o o the fermented mash with pawpaw leaves gave the most accepted product as compared to banana leaves, local leaves and almond leaves. Consumers gave 74.0%-96.0% preference to aisa as an alternative to iru and ogiri, the most popular indigenous fermented food condiments in Nigeria. In comparison with the laboratory fermented samples, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes and Proteus mirabilis were isolated in addition to the Bacillus and Staphylococcus species in the traditionally fermented aisa samples. Fermentation of Albizia saman seeds for 5-7 days gave the best organoleptic parameters of aisa even after 3 months of storage at ambient temperature and 6 months storage at 4 C in o

Occurrence and function of yeasts in Asian indigenous fermented foods

In the Asian region, indigenous fermented foods are important in daily life. In many of these foods, yeasts are predominant and functional during the fermentation. The diversity of foods in which yeasts predominate ranges from leavened bread-like products such as nan and idli, to alcoholic beverages such as rice and palm wines, and condiments such as papads and soy sauce. Although several products are obtained by natural fermentation, the use of traditional starter cultures is widespread. This minireview focuses on the diversity and functionality of yeasts in these products, and on opportunities for research and development.

Utilization of Unfermented Cassava Flour for the Production of an Indigenous African Fermented Food, Agbelima

Unfermented cassava flour, also called high quality cassava flour (HQCF) is used as a partial substitute for wheat flour in the baking industry. This work was carried out to produce an indigenous fermented cassava dough, agbelima, from high quality cassava flour in order to diversify uses for the flour. An isolate of each of the dominant species of lactic acid bacteria isolated from agbelima, was used to ferment reconstituted HQCF dough into agbelima, whilst pH changes, population on MRS, and the organoleptic quality were assessed. The antimicrobial properties of the fermenting samples against three enteric pathogens were also investigated. Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus fermentum and Leuconostoc mesenteroides were isolated at levels of 1010, 109, 109 and 108 c.f.u. g−1 respectively in agbelima. All isolates and a control sample, produced agbelima with pH of between 4.11 and 3.82 in 48 h, and ANOVA showed no significant difference between the pH of the samples at P ≤ 0.05. Spontaneous fermentation of the reconstituted dough was possible, because the flour was found to contain Lactobacillus plantarum at a level of 106 c.f.u. g−1 as well as the other species isolated from agbelima. Counts of Gram-positive catalase-negative rods and cocci on MRS in all the fermented samples were at levels of 108 to 109 c.f.u. g−1, with ANOVA showing no significant difference between the populations at P ≤ 0.05. Three enteric pathogens, Salmonella typhimurium 9, Echerichia coli D2188 and Vibrio cholerae C-230, inoculated into the samples at 106 to 107 c.f.u. g−1 at the start of fermentation, could not be detected in 10 g of any of the samples at the end of 48 h fermentation. A taste panel preferred banku - a stiff porridge made from a combination of fermented maize dough and fermented cassava dough – prepared with fermented HQCF dough to banku prepared with a market sample of agbelima or reconstituted agbelima flour. Processing the highly perishable cassava roots into high quality cassava flour, therefore, offers a means for preserving cassava, which can subsequently be used for both industrial and traditional purposes.

The fungal hydrophobin RolA recruits polyesterase and laterally moves on hydrophobic surfaces

When fungi grow on plant or insect surfaces coated with wax polyesters that protect against pathogens, the fungi generally form aerial hyphae to contact the surfaces. Aerial structures such as hyphae and conidiophores are coated with hydrophobins, which are surface-active proteins involved in adhesion to hydrophobic surfaces. When the industrial fungus Aspergillus oryzae was cultivated in a liquid medium containing the biodegradable polyester polybutylene succinate-coadipate (PBSA), the rolA gene encoding hydrophobin RolA was highly transcribed. High levels of RolA and its localization on the cell surface in the presence of PBSA were confirmed by immunostaining. Under these conditions, A. oryzae simultaneously produced the cutinase CutL1, which hydrolyses PBSA. Pre-incubation of PBSA with RolA stimulated PBSA degradation by CutL1, suggesting that RolA bound to the PBSA surface was required for the stimulation. Immunostaining revealed that PBSA films coated with RolA specifically adsorbed CutL1. Quartz crystal microbalance analyses further demonstrated that RolA attached to a hydrophobic sensor chip specifically adsorbed CutL1. Circular dichroism spectra of soluble-state RolA and bound RolA suggested that RolA underwent a conformational change after its adsorption to hydrophobic surfaces. These results suggest that RolA adsorbed to the hydrophobic surface of PBSA recruits CutL1, resulting in condensation of CutL1 on the PBSA surface and consequent stimulation of PBSA hydrolysis. A fluorescence recovery after photobleaching experiment on PBSA films coated with FITC-labelled RolA suggested that RolA moves laterally on the film. We discuss the novel molecular functions of RolA with regard to plastic degradation.

Preliminary studies on chorote – a traditional Mexican fermented product

The purpose of this work was to study some biochemical and microbiological changes occurring during the fermentation of chorote, an important indigenous fermented food in the Mexican state of Tabasco. The chorote solid state fermentation is similar to that for the production of pozol, though fermented and roasted cacao beans are added to the maize dough. Changes in pH, lactic acid, total and soluble protein, available lysine and tryptophan as well as in some microbial groups were recorded during a 9-day fermentation period. Microbiological analysis showed an increase in moulds, yeasts, amylolytic lactic acid and nitrogen-fixing bacteria during the fermentation. There was a decrease in pH (to 4.2) and a significant net increase in protein content. There was also an increase in soluble protein and tryptophan.

Indigenous Fermented Food and Beverages: A Potential for Economic Development of the High Altitude Societies in Uttaranchal

Globally there are varieties in fermented foods and beverages and so does the ingredients and recipes for making them. For instance in Russia a slightly sour weak beer called Kvass is made from rye flour and malt. In Australia Kefyr is made from milk with the help of a Mushroom variety. Airag is a traditional fermented drink in Mongolia. Kumyss is made in Russia and Turkey from sour and fermented milk. Tsampa is made in Tibet from tea roasted ground barley Yakbutter and sugar. Pulque is a traditional alcoholic drink made in Mexico and Posca was once the main beverage of the Roman Army. (excerpt)