The fermentation steps hold many advantages: they enhance food safety by inhibition of pathogens, they generally preserve the foods and modify their sensory properties, they improve their nutritional value by removing anti-nutritive compounds, and by enhancing bioavailability of components. The consumption of lactic acid fermented cereal product has proven its positive effect on human health. In Africa, the fermentation is generally combined with other processes such as cooking, milling or malting that may directly influence the fermentation process.

However, the lack of control of each unit operation and of their combined effects renders it difficult to ensure the consistent quality of the product and particularly its safety to meet the demand of new urban consumers in Africa, and furthermore in Europe. The project will focus on four fermented cereal-based products of Africa eaten as non-alcoholic cold beverages (Gowé and Akpan), gruel (Kishk) or thick paste (Kenkey).

Akpan

Akpan is a yoghurt-like product prepared from a partially fermented cooked maize gruel, named Ogi.  It is usually mixed with condensed milk, ice and sugar by street vendors just before consumption. It is thirst quenching beverage in Benin, very much appreciated by consumers in urban areas.

Kenkey

Kenkey  is a popular traditional fermented food made from maize and is a staple for most of the peoples in the coastal regions of Ghana. It is a sour tasting cooked stiff porridge of elastic consistency made from fermented whole meal maize dough shaped into balls or cylindrical forms and wrapped in maize husks or plantain leaves.

Gowé

Gowé  is a homogenous gelatinised, malted, fermented and cooked paste prepared from sorghum, millet or maize. It is consumed as a beverage after dilution in water and addition of ice, sugar and sometimes milk. It is the preferred beverage of children, pregnant women, sick and old people in Benin.

Kishk Sa’eedi

The name "kishk " refers to a group of popular fermented dairy cereal mix products common to Egypt and the Middle East. The product is made from a combination of wheat with natural local fermented buttermilk in the form of yoghurt or sour milk. On completion of fermentation, the mixture is shaped and sun dried.