Indigenous Fermented Foods for the Tropics

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

Prof. Oluwafemi Adebo is with the Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa. He leads the Food Innovation Research Group and involved with research geared towards the improvement of various traditional food processes, enhancing food health promoting constituents, food product development and value addition to underutilized food sources using conventional, novel and innovative approaches. He has contributed to over 100 journal articles and book chapters, several invited talks and keynote presentations and has a provisionally approved patent. He has received different grants and won prestigious awards including the 2019 Institute of Food Technologists Emerging Leader Award, 2021 National Research Foundation Emerging Researcher of the Year, 2021 UJ’s Vice Chancellor’s Distinguished Award as an Outstanding Young Researcher and UJ's Faculty of Science Top Research Award (Lecturer/Senior Lecturer Category) twice. He is a Young Affiliate of The World Academy of Sciences and a regular volunteer for activities that promote food science and technology.

Chiemela Enyinnaya Chinma is a Professor of Food Science and Technology at the Federal University of Technology Minna (FUT Minna), Nigeria, and a Visiting Professor at the Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UPM-BERNAS Research Laboratory, Faculty of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Putra Malaysia. He has served as the Deputy Director of Research, Innovation and Development, Deputy Director of Academic Planning and the Academic Coordinator of the World Bank facilitated Africa Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety, FUT Minna, Nigeria. He is the Head of Department, Food Science and Technology and the Chairman, University Policies and Manuals Advisory Committee, FUT Minna, Nigeria. He leads the Food Product Development Research Group at FUT Minna, Nigeria with research interest in improving the functionality of underutilized grains using conventional and innovative food processing methods. He has won several research grants and received academic awards.

Adewale Olusegun Obadina is a Professor of Food Safety and Biotechnology at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria, and a Visiting Professor, Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, University of Johannesburg, South Africa. He has served as the Director of Biotechnology Centre and Head of Department, Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. He is member of Board of Director; International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST); African Continental Association of Food Protection (ACAFP) and member of AU-IBAR Expert on Food Hygiene. He was a grantee and Research Associateship Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) with research interest in improving the quality and safety of processed foods. He is an active member of: Food Science Advisory Council, Human Health Organization (HHO); Safety Enhancement of Edible Products, Legislation, Analysis and Management (SELAMAT); Mytox-South; Global Harmonization Initiative (GHI) and member of the Nigeria National Antimicrobial Resistance – Technical Working Group (AMR-TWG). He has played an integral role in various collaborative projects sponsored by DFID, EU, World Bank, Africa-Brazil Innovative Marketplace, M-BoSs, The World Academy of Science and USAID.

Dr. Antonio Gomes Soares has a background in Food Science and Technology and Postharvest Technology research. He is currently a scientific researcher at Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation – EMBRAPA Food Technology in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is also a Scientific Responsible Researcher for the Postharvest Technology Scientific Area. He was a member of 25 research projects between 1985 and 2020, which coordinated 13 of them. His main research activities are associated with Food Chemistry, Food Science, Food Quality Control, Postharvest Technology, Edible Coatings, Innovative Packaging Materials for fruit and vegetables (Mango, papaya, strawberry, heart of palm, persimmon, minimally processed vegetables, cassava, tomatoes, ginger, green coconut).

Dr. Sandeep Kumar Panda has been trained in ICAR, CSIR, and IIT laboratories and the University of Johannesburg during his Doctoral and Post-Doctoral research career. His current research focuses on microbial technology for underutilized fruits and vegetables for the development of functional foods and beverages. Dr. Panda’s research work is directed towards food security challenges and poverty amongst communities of Southeast Asia and Africa. His team works in interlinking social engineering to fermentation technology so that the knowledge and technology can be harnessed at the community level for the preservation and bioprocessing of perishable fruits and vegetables. Effective planning and training on fermentation technology at the community level for generating revenue in different tribal pockets of India as well as the globe, has been one of Dr. Panda’s important research agendas.