Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2016 Mar 8:60:29630.
doi: 10.3402/fnr.v60.29630. eCollection 2016.

Perspectives on the probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria from African traditional fermented foods and beverages

Mduduzi Paul Mokoena  1 , Taurai Mutanda  2 , Ademola O Olaniran  2
Affiliations
Review

Perspectives on the probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria from African traditional fermented foods and beverages

Mduduzi Paul Mokoena et al. Food Nutr Res. .

Abstract

Diverse African traditional fermented foods and beverages, produced using different types of fermentation, have been used since antiquity because of their numerous nutritional values. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from these products have emerged as a welcome source of antimicrobials and therapeutics, and are accepted as probiotics. Probiotics are defined as live microbial food supplements which beneficially affect the host by improving the intestinal microbial balance. Currently, popular probiotics are derived from fermented milk products. However, with the growing number of consumers with lactose intolerance that are affected by dietary cholesterol from milk products, there is a growing global interest in probiotics from other food sources. The focus of this review is to provide an overview of recent developments on the applications of probiotic LAB globally, and to specifically highlight the suitability of African fermented foods and beverages as a viable source of novel probiotics.

Keywords: antimicrobials; fermented foods; lactic acid bacteria; probiotics.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Aderiye B, Laleye S. Relevance of fermented food products in southwest Nigeria. Plant Foods Hum Nutr. 2003;3:1–16.
    1. Mosha T, Vincent M. Nutritional value and acceptability of homemade maize/sorgum-based waning mixtures supplemented with rojo bean flour, ground sardines and peanut paste. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2004;55:301–15. - PubMed
    1. Pundir RK, Rana S, Kayshap N, Kaur A. Probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria isolated from food samples: an in vitro study. J Appl Pharm Sci. 2013;3:085–93.
    1. Nout MJR, Motarjemi Y. Assessment of fermentation as a household technology for improving food safety: a joint FAO/WHO workshop. Food Contr. 1997;8:221–6. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Steinkraus K. Classification of fermented foods: worldwide review of household fermentation techniques. Food Contr. 1997;8:311–17.