Characteristic of fermented foods is that microorganisms transform their raw materials into foods that are generally safe, highly nutritious and sensory attractive, and that have an increased shelf life. In Africa, traditional fermented foods are mainly produced and sold by women, locally and on a small scale. So far, efforts to combat hunger and malnutrition in Africa have largely overlooked the potential of the improvement of local food processing and optimisation of the concerned value chains.

And that really is a missed opportunity, says Valentina Materia, researcher in the Business Management and Organisation (BMO) group. She expects that making upgraded fermented foods the subject of efforts to stimulate female entrepreneurship will have a big impact on food and nutrition security — not only by making improved fermented foods more available (a direct effect), but also through income generation to support livelihoods (an indirect effect).

Combating malnutrition

Materia is involved in a project that focuses on traditional fermented beverages in three African countries: Benin, Zambia and Zimbabwe. In Benin the beverage of choice is Akpan, a traditional Beninese non-alcoholic fermented cereal-based beverage, locally also known as a vegetable yoghurt. Mabisi, a relatively firm, slightly sour, non-alcoholic beverage made from raw milk is consumed at home and sold at local markets in Zambia. In Zimbabwe the project focuses on Mahewu, a mixed maize/sorghum cereal-based fermented non-alcoholic beverage.