FOOD FERMENTATION - A SAFETY AND NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT

An assessment of the food-safety and nutritional aspects of lactic aci d fermentation for the preparation of weaning food at the household le vel was carried out during a Joint FAO/WHO Workshop held in Pretoria, South Africa, in December 1995. In particular, lactic acid fermentatio n was evaluated as a par? of food preparation processes involving othe r operations such as soaking, cooking, and the germination of cereal g rains. The use of germinated cereals is of particular interest since t hey can be used to prepare semi-liquid porridges of high nutrient dens ity, After reviewing the present state of knowledge concerning the ant imicrobial effects of the lactic acid in fermented foods, and the nutr itional benefits of fermentation and the use of germinated cereals, th e Workshop made an inventory of gaps in current knowledge and prioriti es for further research. High priority areas for research include the following: the effect of lactic acid fermentation on viruses, parasite s, certain bacteria, and mycotoxins; certain physiological and nutriti onal effects of the consumption of fermented foods; the characterizati on and optimization of fermentation processes and the development of a ppropriate 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 f oods.