Fermented foods that make familiar foods delicious and long-lasting have been made all over the world for a long time and are indispensable to our daily lives today. Fermentation technology that has been handed down from ancient times uses the "power of microorganisms" such as Aspergillus, lactic acid bacteria and yeast. It is said to be a human achievement comparable to the acquisition of fire. By scientifically elucidating the mechanism, the quality and value of fermented foods will be further enhanced, contributing to stable nutritional supply, effective use of local agricultural and fishery products, and the development of the food fermentation industry.

At the ongoing JIRCAS Online Open House (April 12-18), we are introducing research results on fermented rice noodles using indica rice, which is a major crop in Southeast Asia, and fish sauce (fermented seasoning) using freshwater fish, also an important food in inland areas such as Laos.

With the cooperation of local producers and researchers, we have clarified the potential of these fermented foods and the rationality of the manufacturing method that has been passed down from ancient times, and developed a stable method to produce fermented foods that are useful for daily life. We are now making efforts to disseminate this method to local producers and rural households in an easy-to-understand manner.

Reference
JIRCAS Online Open House 2021
https://www.jircas.go.jp/en/event/2021/openhouse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Smw1eJfab04

Contributor: MARUI Jun-ichiro (Biological Resources and Post-harvest Division)