**4. Significance of food fermentation to rural communities and economies**

The significance of fermented foods including seasoning agents in human nutrition, particularly among rural populations is now better appreciated. As a result research efforts are being intensified towards better understanding of the processes as well as to achieve commercialization of these foods. Fermented foods including those derived from alkaline fermentation are critical components of the human diets world-wide. Currently, it is estimated that fermentation derived foods, beverages and condiments contributes about a third of the human diets and food supply world-wide [60]. These foods are particularly important in the cultures and food ecology of the developing nations such as Africa where thy have been reported to contribute more than half the calorie, ensuring the food security of millions [61]. In the recent times, the awareness of the nutritional values and health benefits associated with eating fermented products has made them indispensable as part of food system and has also led to their being classified as functional foods.

In some African countries especially Nigeria, fermented foods are valuable in the nutrition of infants and school-age children. In the rural communities, *akamu*, a fermented cereal based product is an important weaning food as well as breakfast meal. Indigenous fermentation technologies help to reduce the problem of food insecurity in the world [27]. In this regard, fermentation increases food availability by providing different types of products in a diversity of flavors, aroma and texture. Food fermentation as an enterprise is particularly useful in the economy and socio-cultural lives of many communities. The nutritional and socio-economic values, health benefits and functional attributes of fermented foods have been widely documented [62–73]. Many of the substrates used for producing fermented foods contain naturally occurring toxins and anti-nutrients and only become edible following detoxification through fermentation. It also increases the bioavailability of key nutrients such as essential amino acids while enriching the sensory quality and functional properties of foods [74, 75].

#### **5. Traditional fermentation techniques**

The techniques of traditional fermentation can be solid-state or submerged culture. In solid state fermentation, the microorganisms grow on solid substrate containing little or no free moisture, but enough to sustain metabolic activity of the organisms. This technique is used in the production of all the alkaline fermented seasoning agents discussed earlier. Submerged fermentation is performed on a liquid substrate or a solid substrate immersed in a solution to form a suspension or slurry. These types of fermentations are seen in most commercial processes such as those employed for the production of alcoholic beverages and several other high-volume products.

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processor actions.

best ensured by strict compliance with GMP.

**6. Modern approach to food fermentation in Africa**

*Current Status of Alkaline Fermented Foods and Seasoning Agents of Africa*

In the past, fermented foods were important only in the regions or places of manufacture. However, due to increasing demand, urbanization and industrialization, some of the fermented products such as soy sauce, and Japanese natto are becoming globally popular [76]. The challenge though is that the majority of the indigenous fermented foods and condiments are manufactured under conditions devoid of good manufacturing practices (GMPs) and good hygiene practices (GHPs) [22]. Often, hazard analysis and critical control point principles (HACCPs) are not observed during their production and unit operations are not clearly defined. This is inconsistent with modern food practices and may hinder the adoption of such products into the international markets [77]. Obviously, the uncontrolled nature of process techniques of traditional fermentation can have fundamental impact on the quality and safety of products. In the traditional setting, fermentation associated variables such as pH, DO, temperature, inoculum and moisture are not regulated. The variation in the fermentation conditions has frequently affected product quality, resulting in products that are non-uniform in quality between successive batches. Likewise, differences in processing techniques adopted by various processors which depend so much on personal knowledge, experience and expertise of the food handler and processor can also cause variation in product quality. Besides, the equipment used in the processing of traditional alkaline fermented seasonings such as fresh leaves, jute bag, local basket and calabash are substandard and they fall short of standard food hygiene protocol. Product consistency and safety of traditional fermented foods often arise fortuitously, from the physiological pressures imposed by the microbial selection rather than by

In any food industry, maintaining proper hygiene in the production environment should be priority [3]. Although traditional fermentations often achieved the desired products, there is need to integrate modern GMPs in the production of these valuable constituents of traditional diets. Another significant challenge in traditional fermentation that can lead to poor and inconsistent product quality is the participation of undesirable microbial strains in the process [78]. Most traditional alkaline fermentations rely on chance inoculation that encourage the participation of several species of microorganisms, including desirable and undesirable strains as against modern industrial technologies that make use of a single or defined selected strains (starter culture) to effect the desired change in the substrate. Although substrate modification and environmental condition may be tailored to favor the growth of the desired organisms, total reliance on process conditions to guarantee product/consumer safety may not always result in desirable outcomes. Besides, the contribution of the transient populations to the final product flavor and quality remain unknown. It is necessary therefore to migrate these traditional processes to modern, biotechnology-based food processing to eliminate process failures, some of which can result in consumer risks. Consumer safety and product quality can be

In recent times, scientific knowledge and modern food processing technologies have found application in food fermentation particularly in Asia and South America. The result is that many traditional kitchen technologies used in the manufacturing of fermented foods in the past are now modified [79]. The same may not be said (to the same degree) of traditional fermentation in Africa, where products

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87052*

**5.1 Impact of process techniques on food quality**
