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Review
. 2022 Feb 18;6(1):15.
doi: 10.1038/s41538-022-00130-w.

African fermented foods: overview, emerging benefits, and novel approaches to microbiome profiling

Yemisi D Obafemi  1   2 , Solomon U Oranusi  1 , Kolawole O Ajanaku  3 , Paul A Akinduti  1 , John Leech  2   4 , Paul D Cotter  5   6   7
Affiliations
Review

African fermented foods: overview, emerging benefits, and novel approaches to microbiome profiling

Yemisi D Obafemi et al. NPJ Sci Food. .

Abstract

Traditional fermented foods are of major importance with respect to the socio-economic growth, food security, nutrition, and health of African consumers. In several African countries, traditional fermentation processes provide a means of food preservation, improving the shelf life and adding to the nutrients in the food products. As with any fermented foods, the associated food microbiota is of great importance and interest. Recent studies on the microbiome of African fermented foods using high-throughput DNA sequencing techniques have revealed the presence of diverse microbial populations of fundamental, technological, and commercial interest that could be harnessed to further improve health, food safety, and quality. This review provides an overview of African fermented foods, their microbiota, and the health-promoting potential of these foods and microbes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing non-financial Interests. With respect to potential competing financial interests, P.D.C. is a co-founder and Chief Technical Officer of SeqBiome Limited, Ireland. However, this role did not influence the composition of the manuscript.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Common fermented foods in Africa (A = Eko, B = Iru, C = Ogiri, D = Ogi, E = Ugba, F = Gari, G = Kunu, H = Wara, I = Lafun, J = Fufu, K = Pito, L = Emu).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Overview of potential study areas in African fermented foods.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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