In developing countries, traditional fermentation serves many purposes. It can improve the taste of an otherwise bland food, enhance the digestibility of a food that is difficult to assimilate, preserve food from degradation by noxious organisms, and increase nutritional value through the synthesis of essential amino acids and vitamins. Although "fermented food" has a vaguely distasteful ring, bread, wine, cheese, and yogurt are all familiar fermented foods. Less familiar are gari, ogi, idli, ugba, and other relatively unstudied but important foods in some African and Asian countries. This book reports on current research to improve the safety and nutrition of these foods through an elucidation of the microorganisms and mechanisms involved in their production. Also included are recommendations for needed research.

Recent decades have witnessed increased interest in the foods of Africa, spurred on by the recurrent famines that have plagued the continent. It is now recognized that helping people to use their own knowledge of indigenous foods and agriculture provides better prospects for long-term sustainability than imposing solutions from outside. Yet to date there has been little documented information about the foods that are utilized by the poor of Africa, and particularly how these foods are preserved in a hostile environment for later use. This book is a unique compilation of both the general literature on Africa's fermented foods and beverages and of original research conducted by the author in Sudan. Information was gathered from elderly rural women who traditionally hand down such knowledge from generation to generation. With increased urbanization and dislocation of family structures, there is a danger that such knowledge might otherwise be lost forever. The various foods are considered in terms of their role in the struggle for survival and in the social fabric of rural Sudan, as well as from the perspectives of nutrition and food microbiology. The book is a major contribution to this literature, of interest to all concerned with food science, human nutrition and rural development.

First published in 2007. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Indigenous Fermented Foods for the Tropics provides insights on fermented foods of the Tropics, particularly Africa, Asia and South America, highlighting key aspects and potential developments for these food products. Sections provide an overview on the production and composition (nutritional, physicochemical, health beneficial and microbiota) of these indigenous fermented foods in the tropics, innovative techniques for investigating the composition of these fermented food products and improvement of the fermentation process to yield better nutritional constituents, health beneficial components and sensory qualities, and safety aspects to be considered in fermented foods. Other sections provide insights into the packaging and marketing of these food products as well as future prospects of fermented foods in the tropics. This book provides new perspectives and recent information to complement existing texts on indigenous fermented foods serving as a valuable reference text for detailed insights into indigenous fermented foods of the tropics. - Discusses fermented foods from the Africa, Asia, and South America based on the raw materials used - Offers innovative techniques for improving these indigenous products and investigating their composition as well as upgrading traditional technologies used in the production of fermented products - Covers the role of technology and innovations in the quest for enhancing quality, and safety of fermented foods as demand for fermented food and beverage products is increased

Food, Cuisine, and Cultural Competency for Culinary, Hospitality, and Nutrition Professionals comprehensively covers unique food traditions as they apply to health. The text explores the critical importance of cultural sensitivity and competency in today's work setting, addresses health literacy issues of diverse client bases, and helps readers identify customer communication techniques that enable professionals to establish trust with clients of ethnicity not their own. Written and peer reviewed by experts in the culture discussed, each chapter in this groundbreaking text covers a distinct region or culture and discusses the various contexts that contribute to nutrition and health: lifestyles, eating patterns, ethnic foods, menu planning, communication (verbal and non-verbal), and more. This book is consistent with The American Dietetic Association’s Cultural Competence Strategic Plan.