Indigenous Fermented-Food Technologies for Small-Scale Industries

Abstract

The developing world is rich in indigenous food fermentations that can contribute significantly to world small-scale food processing and consumption over the next 20 to 50 years as population reaches six to eight billion. The world needs low-cost methods of providing nutritious protein rich meat analogues for its millions of consumers. The Indonesian tempe fermentation can serve as a model. A bacterium present in commercial tempe can be used to add vitamin B12 to other vegetarian foods. Fuel requirements for cooking can be decreased by applying a fungal fermentation of the tempe/ontjom type to legume substrates. The world needs high-quality meat flavours derived from vegetable protein. The soy-sauce (kecap)/ miso (tauco) processes and the fishlshrimp sauce and paste processes can be modified to yield a wide variety of meat-like flavours for use in formulating new foods. The protein content of high-starch substrates can be increased by applying the Indonesian tape fermentation. Leavened sourdough bread like products can be produced without the use of wheat or rye flours, using the Indian idli-dosai fermentation process. Production of such foods by small-scale food processors will contribute both to the economy of the country and to the nutritional improvement of consumers.