Abstract
An assessment of the food-safety and nutritional aspects of lactic acid fermentation for the preparation of weaning food at the household level was carried out during a Joint FAO/WHO Workshop held in Pretoria, South Africa, in December 1995. In particular, lactic acid fermentation was evaluated as a part of food preparation processes involving other operations such as soaking, cooking, and the germination of cereal grains. The use of germinated cereals is of particular interest since they can be used to prepare semi-liquid porridges of high nutrient density. After reviewing the present state of knowledge concerning the antimicrobial effects of the lactic acid in fermented foods, and the nutritional benefits of fermentation and the use of germinated cereals, the Workshop made an inventory of gaps in current knowledge and priorities for further research. High priority areas for research include the following: the effect of lactic acid fermentation on viruses, parasites, certain bacteria, and mycotoxins; certain physiological and nutritional effects of the consumption of fermented foods; the characterization and optimization of fermentation processes and the development of appropriate fermentation starters; and risk mitigation using the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point system, the health education of food handlers, and efforts to change the consumer perception of fermented foods.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Motarjemi Y., Käferstein F., Moy G., Quevedo F. Contaminated food, a hazard for the very young. World Health Forum. 1994;15(1):69–71. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Motarjemi Y., Käferstein F., Moy G., Quevedo F. Contaminated weaning food: a major risk factor for diarrhoea and associated malnutrition. Bull World Health Organ. 1993;71(1):79–92. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]