A BRIEF HISTORY OF FERMENTED RICE-BASED BEVERAGES – FROM ANCIENT TIMES TO TODAY Authors: Saikia D* And Senapati SS,
ABSTRACT
Rice is the staple food for many Asian countries like India. In the age-old times, it was a suitable
substrate for beer fermentation. It was reported that many tribal communities from different parts
of India use rice and additional ingredients for beer making process, which is a very ancient
technology adopted by them. Without any scientific Knowledge, the processing of different
fermented foods was embraced and traditionally transferred to the next generation which was
scientifically analyzed by research groups. This compelled investigators to explore the
technology that helps in the establishment of this age-old skill with science. The research found
that the presence of yeasts and their secondary metabolites make this drink edible and health
beneficial. Additional substrates like plant parts or storage time and containers make them
different. This way fermented foods got importance to their preparation. Fermented foods were
mainly meant for the storage of waste grains. Later, researchers reported that the biochemistry of
Saccharomyces and non-saccharomyces groups of organisms contribute to their organoleptic
properties and make them valuable in various ways. Rice-based fermented alcoholic drinks have
a long shelf-life period. Fermented rice beverages are traditionally, scientifically attached to
people from ancient times till today. The current scenario in the fermentation industry is looking
for effective potent yeast which could help them in the preparation of fermented beverages with unique flavour, aromas, and with probiotic nature. These requirements imply the search for wild
yeast over a commercial one.
Keywords: fermentation, fermented foods, microbial diversity, secondary metabolites, substrate Publication date: 01/11/2023 https://ijbpas.com/pdf/2023/November/MS_IJBPAS_2023_7548.pdfDownload PDFhttps://doi.org/10.31032/IJBPAS/2023/12.11.7548