Technological Characterisation of Yeast Stains Isolated from the Traditional Foods

Abstract

The traditional fermented food and beverages contribute to a major portion of staple diet of people belonging to rural/tribal/himalayan regions of Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur, Kullu, Shimla, Kangra districts of Himachal Pradesh. These traditional foods consists of natural starter cultures locally known as khameer/Phab/lang/ Malera. These are generally rich in yeast and bacterial micro flora and are till now restricted to household levels only. These foods are part of the diet of tribal people since decades, also fermented foods are treasured as major dietary constituents in numerous developing countries because of their keeping quality under ambient conditions - thereby contributing to food security - and because they add value, enhance nutritional quality and digestibility, improve food safety, and are traditionally acceptable and accessible (Holzapfel, 2002, Rolle and Satin, 2002). They have beneficial activities such as theyboost up the nutritional value of the food by producing essential amino acids, SCFAs, enzymes, and increase bioavailability of minerals, hence indicating that these do not have any harmful effects on human system. Fermented foods had been used since pre-historic era and is one of the popular method for food preservation throughout the world.