[For further information on the Electronic Forum on Biotechnology in Food and Agriculture see Forum website.
Note, participants are assumed to be speaking on their own behalf, unless they state otherwise.]

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 01 July 2004 14:55
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 39: Safety of traditionally fermented foods

I am Obadina Adewale Olusegun, a research assistant and a PhD student at the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria. I am a food microbiologist working on microbiological safety of traditionally fermented African foods.

Much work has been done and documented on food fermentation with regard to developing countries but little or nothing has been done on the safety of these fermented foods consumed in the developing countries. I want to contribute to this conference by writing on the need for work and documentation on safety aspects of African fermented foods.

Fermentation is generally considered as a safe and acceptable preservation technology for improving the hygienic quality and safety of foods (Holzapfel, 2002), but there is need to observe the required basic operating programmes such as Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) that should be in place before this can be said of fermentation. Fermentation in developing countries is currently done through the age-old traditional methods with little or no concerns for quality and safety of the products. Food-borne diseases are a major global public health problem, with developing countries bearing the brunt of the problem. Although, statistics on the incidence of food-borne diseases in developing countries are not available. But the high prevalence of diarhoeal diseases particularly in African countries is an indication of underlying safety problems.

The contamination of food prior to consumption is a serious problem in developing countries where the need to eat may outweigh concerns about food safety. So there is need to assess and evaluate the safety of traditionally fermented foods in developing countries.

Obadina Adewale Olusegun,
University of Agriculture,
Abeokuta,
Nigeria.
E-mail: obadinaw (at) yahoo.co.uk

[The paper refered to above, is presumably that of Holzapfel WH (2002). Appropriate starter culture technologies for small-scale fermentation in developing countries. Int J Food Microbiol. 25;75(3):197-212. The abstract of this paper is highly relevant to some of the aspects we wished to see discussed in this conference i.e. "Modern food biotechnology has moved a long way since ancient times of empirical food fermentations. Preservation and safeguarding of food are, however, still major objectives of fermentation. In addition, other aspects, such as wholesomeness, acceptability and overall quality, have become increasingly important and valued features to consumers even in developing countries where old traditions and cultural particularities in food fermentations are generally well maintained. Due to limitations in infrastructure and existing low technologies, rural areas in most developing countries have not been able to keep abreast of global developments toward industrialisation. At the same time, fermented foods play a major role in the diet of numerous regions in Africa and Asia. In many traditional approaches, the advantages of some form of inoculation of a new batch, e.g. by back-slopping or the repeated use of the same container (e.g. a calabash) is appreciated and generally practised. Still, the benefits of small-scale starter culture application as a means of improved hygiene, safety and quality control, in support of HACCP approaches, are not yet realised in small-scale fermentation operations. Approaches and considerations for the selection of pure cultures for small-scale, low-tech applications may differ in some respects from the large-scale industrial approaches practised since 100 years. Selection criteria should take account of the substrate, technical properties of the strain, food safety requirements and quality expectations. Lack of experience in the application of starter cultures in small-scale operations and under rural conditions presents a major obstacle but also an exciting challenge to food microbiologist and technologist. Culture preservation, maintenance and distribution demand special logistic and economic considerations. Quality, safety and acceptability of traditional fermented foods may be significantly improved through the use of starter cultures selected on the basis of multifunctional considerations, also taking into account the probiotic concept and possibilities offered for improved health benefits"...Moderator].

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 01 July 2004 16:43
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 40: Re: Traditional fermentation in developing countries // GE microorganisms

I am Sylvia Uzochukwu from the Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria. I am also the Acting Director of our Biotechnology Center in my University. I am in food microbiology and biotechnology.

I congratulate the organizers of the conference, especially the moderator for a job well done.

First, permit me to comment briefly on message 4 (June 17) as it concerns palm wine. Olusola Oyewole's table is very informative and useful. However, I wish to add that palm wine does have a starter - the dregs of palm wine, which is a paste containing mainly lactic acid bacteria and Saccharomyces yeasts. Consequently, a pure mixed culture of Sacharomyces cerevisiae and Leuconostoc dextranicum has also been developed for palm wine and its analogues which works very well. The studies are published, and please contact me for information on these publications.

Also regarding message 4, John Nishio says in message 20 (June 22) that he now knows gari is a fermented food. Gari is not a fermented food. Fermentation in gari is optional. The moderator threw some light on this in some quotations provided after message 3 (June 17). Those who desire a sour taste and a less viscous product, ferment their gari as is done in the Western part of Nigeria. Those who prefer a relatively bland but more starchy or viscous product do not ferment their gari and the production process begins and ends within 24hrs. This is the case in the Mid Western and Eastern parts of Nigeria. It has been shown, as quoted by the moderator in message 3, that the fermentation process is not necessary for the detoxification of cassava, only for flavour for those who want that.

[a) The genus Leuconostoc belongs to the group of lactic acid bacteria. b) Table 2 of Olusola Oyewole's message (nr. 4) indicated that palm wine derived frmo palm in West Africa was at a level of development of 1 (i.e. the microorganisms involved were known), 2 (i.e. the roles of individual microorganisms were known) and 7 (i.e. pilot plant production). Olayinka Edema in Message 30 (25 June) also made an interesting comment about palm wine i.e. "Attempts at improving shelf-lives of African fermented foods end up changing the taste and flavour of the products. For example, bottled and pasteurized palm wine lacks the uniqueness of the fresh, un-bottled palm sap, which is attributed to the fact that the yeasts are alive and well, making the wine bubble and rich"...Moderator]

Dr. Sylvia Uzochukwu
Ag. Director
Biotechnology Center
University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
Nigeria
E-mail: suzochi (at) yahoo.com
Phone: 234-803-3531178

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 01 July 2004 17:08
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 41: Palm wine - Genetic engineering

This is from Sylvia Uzochukwu, Nigeria, again.

My contribution concerning how biotechnology can be used to improve food quality is this: I work on palm wine and I think that commodity is ready for an input from genetic engineering. Palm wine is the fermented sap of palms. It is a whitish effervescent beverage. Part of the whiteness is soluble, being imparted by microbial gum which have been identified and characterized. The presence of the whiteness limits the uses the sap can be put to. If it can be removed, the sap can be used for non alcoholic juice preparation, table and sparkling wines of international standards, and the products can be exported to fetch hard currency. A yeast can be constructed to decolourise the palm wine as it produces alcohol in it. The enzymes required and the sources of their genes have been identified as well as the detailed protocol for the work. All that is required is the funding for the very expensive reagents and equipment needed for the laboratory work and we shall construct a yeast which can decolourise palm sap/wine for the purposes stated above. I am sure that gradually, as more scientists in the developing countries come to learn about molecular biology techniques, each will begin to see how this exciting new tool can be used to solve his particular research problems just as I have. Massive re-training in DNA manipulating techniques is important for life scientists from developing countries if their countries are not to be left behind in this whirlwind biotechnology revolution which nothing can stop.

Dr. Sylvia Uzochukwu
Ag. Director
Biotechnology Center
University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
Nigeria
E-mail: suzochi (at) yahoo.com
Phone: 234-803-3531178

[Chapter 4 in "Fermented fruits and vegetables: A global perspective", by Mike Battcock and Sue Azam-Ali (1998) in FAO's Agricultural Services Bulletin series (http://www.fao.org/docrep/x0560e/x0560e00.htm), is dedicated to products of yeast fermentation. Here, they include a section on fermented plant saps, as many alcoholic drinks are made from the juices of plants, including coconut palm, oil palm, wild date palm, nipa palm, raphia palm and kithul palm. For palm wine, they wrote:
"Location of production: Palm 'wine' is an important alcoholic beverage in West Africa where it is consumed by more than 10 million people. Product description: Palm wine can be consumed in a variety of flavours varying from sweet unfermented to sour fermented and vinegary alcoholic drinks. There are many variations and names including emu and ogogoro in Nigeria and nsafufuo in Ghana. It is produced from sugary palm saps. The most frequently tapped palms are raphia palms (Raphia hookeri or R. vinifera) and the oil palm (Elaeis guineense). Palm wine has been found to be nutritious. The fermentation process increases the levels of thiamin, riboflavin, pyridoxin and vitamin B12. Like many African alcoholic beverages, palm wine has a very short shelf-life. The product is not preserved for more than one day. After this time accumulation of an excessive amount of acetic acid makes it unacceptable to consumers. The bark of a tree (Saccoglottis gabonensis) may be added as a preservative. The alkaloid and phenolic compounds which are extracted into the wine have antimicrobial effect (Odunfa, 1985).
Preparation of raw materials: Sap is collected by tapping the palm. Tapping is achieved by making an incision between the kernels and a gourd is tied around to collect the sap which is collected a day or two later. The fresh palm juice is a sweet, clear, colourless juice containing 10-12 percent sugar and is neutral. The quality of the final wines is determined mostly by the conditions used in the collection of the sap. Often the collecting gourd is not washed between collections and residual yeasts in the gourd quickly begin the fermentation.
Processing: The sap is not heated and the wine is an excellent substrate for microbial growth. It is therefore essential that proper hygienic collection procedures are followed to prevent contaminating bacteria from competing with the yeast and producing acid instead of alcohol (Fellows, 1997). Fermentation starts soon after the sap is collected and within an hour or two, the sap becomes reasonably high in alcohol (up to 4%). If allowed to continue to ferment for more than a day, the sap begins turning into vinegar, although the vinegary flavour is preferred by some. Organisms responsible include S. cerevisiae, and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and the bacteria Lactobacillus plantarum and L. mesenteroides. There are reports that the yeasts and bacteria originate from the gourd, palm tree, and tapping implements. However the high sugar content of the juice would seem to selectively favour the growth of yeasts which might originate from the air. This is supported by the fact that fermentation also takes place in plastic containers. Within 24 hours the initial pH is reduced from 7.4-6.8 to 5.5 and the alcohol content ranges from 1.5 to 2.1 percent. Within 72 hours the alcohol levels increase from 4.5 to 5.2 percent and the pH is 4.0. Organic acids present are lactic acid, acetic acid and tartaric acid (Odunfa, 1985). The main control points are extraction of a high yield of palm sap without excessive contamination by spoilage micro-organisms, and proper storage to allow natural fermentation to take place.
Packaging and storage: Packaging is usually only required to keep the product for its relatively short shelf-life. Clean glass or plastic bottles should be used. The product should be kept in a cool place away from direct sunlight"...Moderator].

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 01 July 2004 17:32
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 42: Impact of biotechnology in food and feed processing in developing countries

I am a Senior Lecturer in Animal Breeding and Genetics in the Department of Animal Science, University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and a promoter of BIOGROW, a biotechnology and biosafety NGO whose objectives include the promotion and dissemination of the understanding and acceptance of the science behind biotechnology among the ordinary people of West and Central Africa region in general and Nigeria in particular.

I have followed this e-conference with keen interest and agree with most of the opinions and ideas of contributors. The most important impact of biotechnology in food (and feed) processing in developing countries especially in Africa will be the removal of toxins and poisons in livestock feed (such as aflatoxin in grains and legumes, cyanide in cassava) and the use of enzymes and additives in high lignin and fibrous grasses and fodder in order to enhance utilisation for livestock. However, one of the major problems in utilising this novel technology in Africa is the low capacity building for an effective utilisation of the benefits of biotechnology.

In answer to one of the questions posed in Message 34 (June 290 by Nand Lal on rumen microorganism-protein supply, I wish to say that the answer may be found in the symposium entitled: International Symposium on "Applications of gene-based technologies for improving animal production and health in developing countries". Vienna, Austria, 6-10 October 2003, jointly organised by FAO and IAEA.

[The book of extended synopses, as well as presentations, from the symposium referred to above are available at http://www.iaea.org/programmes/nafa/d3/hlight-d3.html. Proceedings of the symposium should be available soon. For more information on the symposium, contact h.makkar (at) iaea.org...Moderator].

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 01 July 2004 18:50
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 43: Re: Malolactic fermentation // Cheese classes // Vitamins

This is from Obadina Adewale Olusegun, Nigeria, again.

I wish to answer some of the technical questions asked by Nand Lai (Message 1, June 15):

Among these are Vitamin B12 which is produced commercially by utilizing the synthetic ability of either bacteria or streptomycin. Most commonly, Propionibacterium freudenreichii or a similar organism is grown by the usual fermentation techniques, such as are employed for riboflavin, penicillin, or streptomycin. The organism is grown in 10,000 to 50,000-gal (40 to 2000 metre cube) tanks in a medium of yeast extract, minerals, and sucrose or other carbohydrate for a period of 72-120 hr after inoculation. Optimum vitamin titers of 2-6 mg/liter are obtained under conditions of mild aeration, though the organism can grow anaerobically. Since the vitamin is almost entirely contained in the cells, it can be recovered by centrifugation of the final broth. The cells can be dried, and used directly as a food or animal-feed supplement. The product can further be purified for drug uses. Vitamin B12 can also been produced as a by-product during the production of streptomycin and certain other antibiotics.

More so, irradiated yeast is a source of vitamin D2 and is used in supplementing rations of livestock. Provitamin ergosterol can be extracted from yeast and, and when irradiated and purified, will yields crystalline vitamin D2.

Two major classes of cheese exist, fresh and ripened. Fresh cheeses are simpler to make than ripened, are more perishable, and do not develop as intense flavors, but give a mild acid, slightly aromatic favor and soft, smooth texture.

Fresh Cheeses: Three basic groups characterize fresh cheese types: group 1- ricotta and Broccio; group 2 - cottage, Neufchatels, and cream; and group 3 - mozzarella. Curd formation for these fresh cheese groups results from a combination of acid (pH 6.0) and heat (80 degrees), as in group 1; from acid alone to give a pH 4.6, as in group 2; or from rennet (an enzyme preparation) at pH 6.3, as in group 3; Especially a dehydration of protein occurs, along with a partial or complete reduction of the negative electrical charges which surround the surfaces of the milk proteins. At a critical point, precipitation occurs, leading to a smooth gelatinous curd of varying strength. The curd may be scooped directly into cloth bags or perforated containers for immediate draining and eventually packaging or it is cut and cooked, followed by drainage of whey, salting and creaming.

Ripened Cheese: Ripened Cheese is exposed to an optimum environment of temperature and moisture for a period of time to attain characteristic flavor, texture, and appearance. It may be made from raw heat-treated or pasteurized milk that is coagulated with a rennet preparation to form a smooth curd. After cutting and cooking to 35-55 degree Celsius, the curds are salted, before or after pressing, and shaped. The pressed curds, usually salted, may be given a special microbial application, and then are usually held at 5-15 degree Celsius in rooms under controlled humidity (85-95 degree Celsius) to develop the desired traits. All standard ripened cheeses are salted, and the milks from which they are made are always coagulated with rennet in the presence usually of small amount of lactic acid and sometimes added calcium chloride.

"Can one class of cheese be converted into other class?": Processed cheese is made from natural types. Nearly any natural cheese can be processed, except that for blue cheese technical difficulties cause blackening of the blue mold due to the high heat.

Obadina Adewale Olusegun,
University of Agriculture,
Abeokuta,
Nigeria.
E-mail: obadinaw (at) yahoo.co.uk

[Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is produced by microorganisms which are either free living or symbiotic in the rumen or the intestines of vertebrates. Large scale production of this important biotechnology product is carried out using a number of bacterial species, including Pseudomonas denitrificans and Propionibacterium freudenreichii...Moderator].

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 03 July 2004 16:20
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 44: Re: Palm wine - Genetic engineering

This is from Dr. Charles Ifeanyi Okoli, Federal University of Technology, Nigeria.

Referring to Message 41 (July 1) by Sylvia Uzochukwu, I wish to say that I completely agree with your sumitions. I highly appreciate your contribution.

Dr. I C Okoli
Tropical Animal Health and Production Research Laboratory
Department of Animal Science and Technology,
Federal University of Technology,
PMB 1526, Owerri, Imo State,
Nigeria.
dr_charleso (at) yahoo.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 05 July 2004 08:39
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 45: Intellectual property rights

I am Mudadi Benhura of the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Zimbabwe.

I thank the moderator for prompting discussion on, among other things, intellectual property rights.

The issue of intellectual property rights is complicated and can be discussed at different levels.

Currently, the operation of the patent system is heavily weighted against the individual discoverer, irrespective of whether the discoverer is working in the developing or developed world. It is understandable that one is required to pay a fee in order that a claim to a discovery is processed. It is understandable that someone must pay for the searches that are required in order to demonstrate novelty. What is not easy to understand is why, once a patent is granted, annual fees have to be paid in order to maintain the validity of the patent. What the payment of annual fees does is not to reward inventiveness but to reward ability to pay. As a result, many academics in African institutions give up about applying for patents.

Another problem is that many African universities have no policy at all about what to do concerning discoveries by workers in their departments. I remember a university worker who thought he had discovered something new and useful and started to make inquiries from administration about what he needed to do. After being shuttled from office to office, he gave up and tried to get a patent on his own only to meet the problem described earlier.

A third problem has to do with who owns the intellectual property rights to a discovery that is made on the basis of indigenous knowledge but could not have been made without the intellectual input of an individual. Let us say that a given community has been using a specific plant for purpose X from time immemorial. A young man from the community goes to university, obtains a PhD and teaches and researches at the national university. Because of his education, he is in a position to speculate on the nature of the active principle in the plant. As a result of research he discovers that an extract of the plant is suitable for purpose Y. Who owns the intellectual property rights for the use of the plant for purpose Y? Should the question be asked at all? This last problem is important in the developing world. It can, of course, be argued that indigenous knowledge is like any other knowledge. Modern brewing technology, is really based on indigenous knowledge. But maybe I should stop here for now.

Dr M A Benhura
Department of Biochemistry,
University of Zimbabwe, Box MP 167,
Mount Pleasant,
Harare,
Zimbabwe
benhura (at) medic.uz.ac.zw

[Thanks to Mudadi Benhura for this message about intellectual property rights (IPR). Please try and keep messages on this topic focused on the relevance/role/impact of IPR for food processing, as we do not want a general discussion on IPR per se, as the topic is too wide for this e-mail conference. Note also that a previous conference of this Forum (conference 6, held on 20 March to 14 May 2001, entitled "The impact of intellectual property rights (IPR) on food and agriculture in developing countries" http://www.fao.org/biotech/Conf6.htm), was dedicated to the issue of IPR and agricultural biotechnology, although the issue of IPR in food processing was not raised there...Moderator].

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 05 July 2004 11:34
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 46: Biotechnology // Commercial opportunities // Nutraceuticals

I am Dr. Nelson Ojijo Olang'o of the Department of Food Science and Technology, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya.

First, the moderator said that nearly 400 people registered for this conference; yet only a modicum have presented their views. Part of the reason that the majority (me included) may prefer to peep from the sidelines is that many people, even those trained in Food Science and Technology, are not well-versed with the subject of biotechnology. The curricula for Food Science and Technology in many African universities do not lay emphasis on biotechnology. This is often just a topic mentioned in passing under Food Microbiology. I am just winding up a postdoc fellowship at the Department of Food Biotechnology and Engineering, The Technion - Isreal Institute of Technology, Israel. Actually, until last year, the name of the department was Dept. of Food Engineering and Biotechnology. But in order to emphasize biotechnological aspects in the curriculum, the name was altered. I think developing countries need to emulate this trend. In view of the potential benefits of biotechnology to the economies of developing countries, it would be expedient to develop Food Science and Technology curricula that deliberately emphasize biotechnological principles especially molecular biology.

Secondly, in Message 7 (June 17), Marcel Hofman indicated that industrialization of the food industry may not be desirable for Africa as there may not be "huge demand for human labor in manufacturing industries". I wonder if one should draw a dividing line between 'industrialization of the food industry' vis-a-vis 'commercialization of food production'. The majority of people in developing countries live in the rural areas. I personally believe that one way of increasing their income and standard of living is the development of small-scale, rural-based food processing industries. The concept is simple: people organized at the community level manufacture value-added food products and sell them to urban dwellers. Since the production of biotechnological products (e.g. fermented foods) are generally less capital intensive, they are suitable for such rural industries. In this sense, it is easy to see that developing countries need to encourage commercialization of biotech foods.

Thirdly, as we think of applications of biotechnology in food processing, there is a big challenge in the food-medical interface. How can we use biotechnology to develop functional foods that promote health? I am thinking particularly of the development of foods with nutraceutical potency for the management of HIV/AIDS patients. Currently, the care of AIDS patients is taking quite a big chunk of the national resources in many countries. Also, in view of the high cost of anti-retroviral drugs, nutraceuticals that are immunopotentiating will be very opportune. I will be very glad to hear any comments on this.

Nelson Ojijo Olang'o
Department of Food Science and Technology,
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology,
Kenya.
ojijonko (at) yahoo.com

[Nutraceuticals (or nutriceuticals) is a term used to describe substances in or parts of a food that may be considered to provide medical or health benefits beyond basic nutrition, including disease prevention...Moderator].

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 05 July 2004 14:38
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 47: Re: Biotechnology // Commercial opportunities // Nutraceuticals

I am Dr. Mrinal Kumar Sharma from India.

The food-medical interface mentioned by Nelson Ojijo Olang'o (Message 46, July 5) is perhaps the most fertile area for development in food biotechnology.

Nutraceuticals including probiotics and prebiotics or combinations thereof (synbiotics) and botanical food additives are known to have health promoting properties no doubt but the prospect of these candidates being of use in directly combating viral infections is still a remote prospect. Developments of large scale in the field of drug delivery will lead us to a position where these ingredients despite their inherent toxicity and immunogenicity will be delivered on to the target tissue.

On the other hand, his observation on immunomodulatory effect of nutraceuticals has a profound potential. It may be considered one of the most potential areas for prevention of diseases of all kinds. There has already been some claims of herbal ingredients being effective in treatment of AIDS. The potential therapeutic benefits of the food-medical interface will perhaps be at the more restricted neutraceutical-alternative medicine interface.

On another frontier, it may be observed that though AIDS victims are a significant number and their treatment cost is high, the amount of money spent on albeit simple disease problems like infantile diarrhoea is much higher and so is the number of precious innocent lives lost. Nutraceuticals in the form of herbs and Direct Fed Microbes could make a great contribution in these fields. The therapy will be cheaper than traditional medicine, more effective and in some cases the only form of treatment available.

Nutraceuticals also have a great role in prevention of diseases. Lutein a functional carotenoid is very effective in preventing cataract and anti ageing antioxidants are almost all plant-derived food ingredients. Designer eggs with higher lutein in their yolk have been made available in the developed markets. The incorporation of biotechnological methods to incorporate these functional ingredients into the general diet of man will be the key behind taking advantage of these unique beneficial foods.

But again, consumer education and shrewd marketing will be the key to get these kind of products into the masses. Nutraceuticals will obviously be costlier than normal food and consumers will need a good reason to go for such food despite the cost. In most cases, people in developing countries will not be inclined to spend an extra bit to prevent some harm from occuring. On the other hand, in the absence of strict and thorough regulations the threat of imitations being floated onto the market also looms large. This will again be a damp squib for the consumer because he will feel doubly cheated.

Nutraceuticals is certainly a very potential field but developing countries have to take up a number of steps, including investment in research and development, development of educative programmes through the mass media and putting in place a good regulatory and monitoring systems before letting such products onto the markets.

Dr. Mrinal Kumar Sharma,
Veterinary Scientist,
Ayurvet Limited,
22, Site - IV,
Sahibabad,
Ghaziabad - 201 010 (UP)
India
Tel: 0120-2959754. (O)
mrinals (at) DABUR.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 05 July 2004 15:27
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 48: Re: Biotechnology // Commercial opportunities // Nutraceuticals

I am Rose Rita Kingamkono of the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology, Dar Es Salaam.

I cannot more than agree with Nelson (message 46, July 5). For food scientists and technologists, the word biotechnology is rather uncommon and hazy even though the curriculum does cover fermentation, microbiological food safety, and germination which are aspects of biotechnology. This is because the word biotechnology is hardly mentioned while both fermentation and germination is being covered. There is a need to have a better coverage in the curricular of food scientists and technologists on biotechnology.

Talking of nutraceuticals, I believe fermentation and germination have a high potential in providing some solutions in the care of HIV/AIDS. Apart from improved nutrient bio-availability, particularly micronutrient resulting from the two technologies, fermentation has an extra property of protecting against or relieving from diarrhoea diseases. A series of in-vitro studies we conducted in Tanzania evaluating the microbiological quality of a lactic-acid bacteria fermented cereal gruel, widely consumed in Tanzania as a soft drink, demonstrated a significant improvement in the microbiological quality of the fermented gruel

We also evaluated the ability of the fermented gruel to prevent enteropathogenic colonization and therapeutic influence against diarrhoea in children consuming the fermented gruel in a community based studies. Higher frequency and regular consumption resulted in a significant reduction of faecal enteropathogenic bacteria in health children showing a lower colonization of the enteropathogenic bacteria thus reducing the risk of getting diarrhoea. This observation could be attributed to a synergistic effect resulting from a combination of lower transmission of enteropathogenic bacteria to consumers, inhibition of establishment of enteropathogenic bacteria in the intestines exerted by the lactic-acid bacteria activities and competition for nutrients and space.

We also demonstrated a significant faster recovery of intestinal mucosa (damaged by diarrhoea) in paediatric in-patient children who were consuming the fermented cereal gruel compared to those fed on unfermented gruel, indicating some useful factors in the fermented gruel that may be useful in hastening the recovery and hence improving nutrient absorption.

These observations may have positive implications for HIV/AIDS patients who are at high risk in getting diarrhoea.

Rose Rita Kingamkono (Ph.D)
Director, Research Coordination and Promotion
Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology
Ali Hasani Mwinyi Rd., Kijitonyama
P.O. Box 4302, Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania
East Africa
Tel: (Off) 225 22 2700752
Mobile: 255 744 769808 / 741 540860
Fax: 255 22 2775313/4
rkingamkono (at) costech.or.tz

[1) enteropathogenic bacteria are those that tend to produce disease in the intestinal tract.
2) Some further information about the results referred to above, about the benefits of togwa, a lactic-fermented cereal gruel, are available at
a) Kingamkono R. Influence of lactic acid fermentation on enteropathogenic bacteria: growth inhibition in cereals and in human intestine. PhD thesis. Chalmers University of Technology, Department of Food Science, Göteborg, Sweden, 1997. Abstract at http://www2.lib.chalmers.se/cth/diss/doc/9798/KingamkonoRose.html or
b) R. Kingamkono, E. Sjogren and U. Svanberg. Enteropathogenic bacteria in faecal swabs of young children fed on lactic acid-fermented cereal gruels. Epidemiology and Infection (1999), 122:23-32...Moderator].

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 06 July 2004 09:18
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 49: Re: Biotechnology // Commercial opportunities // Nutraceuticals

In reply to Nelson Ojijo Olang'o (Message 46, July 5):

I agree completely with the point he makes that one should differentiate clearly between "industrialisation of food production", and improved "commercialisation of food production". Well-thought organisation of produce commercialisation is, as he justly remarked, an excellent way to enhance the food producers standard of living. In the industrialized setting where I live, many farmers return to the same proven principles he advocates: direct marketing either as an individual or in a cooperative structure to get a decent living from their production.

I also want to make clear that in my view the industrialisation of food production is in the current context not only a bad choice for Africa but also for any other society where a big part of the population earns their living in primary food production, which is for instance true in large parts of the newly adhering countries to the European Union (EU).

Aftersight, the industrialisation of food production in the west and the north in the 19th century proved a mixed blessing even in the double window of opportunity of the high demand for unskilled labor and the availability of cheap primary materials for the manufacturing industries that made it possible. As for the results. A breakdown of the consumer price of food in the EU zone is illustrative: marketing cost 45%, packaging cost 18%, local automotive transport 16%, long distance transport 10%, taxes 6%, leaves 5% for the primary production.... With stagnation in economic growth and rising unemployment, it is an open question how long cheap food will equate to food available for all.

Prof Dr ir Marcel Hofman
President SCIBB
Chairman ORCOM ECB9
Series Editor Focus on Biotechnology
Fax 32 2 767 21 91 Tel 32 2 767 2399
Hondsbergen 2, BE-3080 Tervuren Belgium
mailto: secretariat (at) ecb9.be

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 06 July 2004 13:50
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 50: Improvement of traditional fermentation

This is P S Janaki Krishna from India.

I agree with my earlier participants that in many of the food processing technologies, we can not clearly demarcate the biotechnological component. The dehusking of number of cereals/pulses and preparation of nutritious foods/baby foods/powders with various combinations are not really carried out with the use of living organisms. Hence, many scientists in food and nutrition departments are finding it difficult to justify the biotechnology component in their technologies though they have produced several products to their credit. A number of pulse/grain/millet products are examples of this.

Fermentation is one of the broad areas that can be considered for biotech interventions. Regarding, improvement of traditional fermentation,

Microorganisms are either killed, eliminated or suppressed in all other methods of preservation. However, in fermentation they are encouraged to grow, multiply and allowed metabolic activities in the food. The preservation effect of fermentation has been due to the formation of ethanol, carbon dioxide, specific antimicrobial substances like bacteriocins and the major effect is in the lowering of pH by producing acids by lactic or acetic acid bacteria. (Can we isolate, multiply and use them as food preservatives for keeping food quality and increasing the shelf life).

In most instances, the development of desired sensory qualities of indigenous food depends on the composite contribution of two or more types of microorganisms. In natural fermentations, the important microbial group include Lactobacillus plantarum, Streptococcus lactis, Leuconostoc. But occurence of Staphylococcus haemolyticus and Shigella sp., the known pathogens, are a major concern. (Can we take up research on detoxification of these products. For example, certain species of Lactobacilli can be used for detoxification of moldy sorghum and, in turn, the detoxified sorghum can be used as animal feed and even for human consumption).

Lactic acid fermentation has a major role in the food industry that makes variety of products. Lactic acid along with its derivatives have diverse applications such as antimicrobial agents, flavour enhancers, dough conditioners, emulsifiers, stabilizer, surface active agents in foods etc. (We should promote cost effective technologies for producing these bacteria and their derivatives).

Many of the traditional foods prepared through fermentation have their unique taste and flavour. The children, young and old still relish the grandma's preparations. Of late, there is lot of popularity and demand for these foods in fast food centres. However, these take a lot of time to prepare and, at the same time, have a very short shelf life (Can we improvise these techniques by isolating the microorganisms present in these foods and utilize them for preparation of fast foods). Of course, we have 'ready mixes' for these preparations, but these are highly cost prohibitive and the low and middle income groups who really need these in view of their fast lives (both wife and husband working) can not really afford these mixes. Can we promote village industries in these 'ready mix' preparations of traditional food items. (In fact all the ingredients necessary for these preparations, like the cereals, pulses, millets are available in the villages. It will give employment for the rural poor and certainly reduce the cost of production). I was really inspired by the cheese production units established in one of the Dutch villages.

Besides these areas in fermentation;
Research in the areas of production of Spirulina, mushrooms, nutraceuticals, prebiotics and probiotics may also be encouraged as these are essential for attaining food security in developing countries.

P S Janaki Krishna,
Consultant,
Biotechnology Unit, Institute of Public Enterprise,
Hyderabad - 500 007,
India
Email: jankrisp (at) yahoo.com
Phone: 040 - 27097018/27098148

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 06 July 2004 14:23
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 51: Issues in the Background Document

This is P S Janaki Krishna from India again.

These comments refer to the issues that the Moderator, on 2 July, asked to deal with. [i.e. to consider the issues raised in section 3 of the Background Document...Moderator].

I am not an expert to comment upon this. However, as long as we involve the right people while exploiting these technologies we may not have any problems. Like linking the food processing units with NGOs/women groups/homes for the aged/etc. and engaging women and tribals in refining the traditional fermentation products and sharing the benefits with them.

The level (small, medium/large scale) of infrastructure is very important in exploiting the benefits of food processing technologies (including starter cultures). Provision of regular and sufficient power and water supply is the foremost difficulty in popularizing these technologies in the villages. Significantly, connectivity is another major issue. Specifically for the food processing industries to come up, cold storages, pre cooling units, refrigerated vans, containers, credit, technical guidance, pack houses, packing material at low cost, quality control laboratories, radiation facilities, training facilities, repair facilties for the machinery are very important and logical.

As rightly pointed out, documentation of the methods of preparation of various traditional foods, properties and applications in various developing countries are very important. Certain food will be served on certain occasions/festivals. This might have implications on the seasonal variation and climatic conditions etc. This has to be scientifically explored and documented. The safety and preservation methods for these products should also be well documented.

Documentation of the benefits of fermentation and fermented products are not well disseminated. Awareness creation, capacity building, training and establishmnet of food processing units might help in popularizing these technologies.

Again, I am not an expert to comment upon this. However, if a technology is developed based on the traditional knowledge/expertise of certain communities, the benefit has to be shared. Even while documenting this indigenous knowledge it has to be shared. Note: I read in one of the Indian newspapers that recent parties hosted by J. Lopez and Arnold Schwarzenegger included number of Indian fermented breakfast and snack foods - like idli, dosa and puri. These parties were adjudged as one of the best parties and were praised by one and all mainly because of inclusion of these Indian food preparations. The writer of this news item was afraid that one day preparation of Idli, dosa and puri might be patented in some other country. (The microorganisms present in Idli might be patented in the name of nutrition fortification in cereals and pulses).

P S Janaki Krishna,
Consultant,
Biotechnology Unit, Institute of Public Enterprise,
Hyderabad - 500 007,
India
Email: jankrisp (at) yahoo.com
Phone: 040 - 27097018/27098148

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 07 July 2004 14:29
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 52: Re: Traditional fermentation in developing countries // GE microorganisms

This is Olayinka Edema, Nigeria, again.

I wish to comment on message 40 (July 1) by Sylvia Uzochukwu on palm wine and gari.

I disagree with the statements that "Gari is not a fermented food. Fermentation in gari is optional". Gari is a fermented food. The product is not gari if it is not fermented. The moderator's comment after message 3 (June 17) which she referred to explained as much: "The duration of fermentation varies depending on consumer preference for sour taste. The COSCA study found that commercial gari processors in Nigeria ferment cassava for different lengths of time depending on the market". The fermentation time ranges from 1 day to 7 days. The Eastern market in Nigeria prefers a shorter fermentation time while the Western market prefers a longer fermentation time. [The quotation provided at the end of Message 3 was from the article entitled "The cassava transformation in Africa" by Felix I. Nweke, from the proceedings of the Global Cassava Development Strategy Validation Forum (http://www.fao.org/ag/agp/agpc/gcds/publications/gcdsvol.2.doc), held at FAO Headquarters, Rome on 26-28 April 2000...Moderator].

This leads to the issue of variable quality of African fermented foods. Sometimes what is referred to as variability in quality is actually individual preference. Application of biotechnology to the processing of a product such as gari may require that two standard processes be designed, one for sour and the other for non-sour gari since it is difficult to get both properties in one intermediate product.

Regarding the starter for palm wine, the dregs used as starter contains more than Sacharomyces cerevisiae and Leuconostoc dextranicum and the product obtained with the use of these two organisms alone is close to, but not exactly, palm wine.

I am all for new product development and strongly believe that biotechnological development in developing countries should target diversification into new value-added products, such as described from palm sap in message 41 (July 1, Sylvia Uzochukwu), which can be commercialized (section 3.5 of background document).

Dr. Olayinka Edema
Microbiology Department,
College of Natural Sciences,
University of Agriculture,
Abeokuta,
Nigeria.
moedemao (at) yahoo.co.uk

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 08 July 2004 07:26
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 53: Re: Biotechnology // Commercial opportunities // Nutraceuticals

I am Olusola Oyewole, a Professor at the Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

I want to commend the advice of Nelson Ojijo (Message 46, July 5) to those of us involved in Curriculum Development in African Universities. There is a need to incorporate Food Biotechnology oriented courses into the undergraduate programs of Food Scientists. Post-graduate programs in Food Biotechnology will also be useful.

Prof. Olusola Oyewole
Department of Food Science and Technology,
University of Agriculture,
P.M.B. 2240,
Abeokuta. Ogun State.
Nigeria 110001
E-mail : solaoyew (at) hotmail.com ; oyewoleb (at) skannet.com
Mobile : +234-803-335-1814 or +234-804-212-4850
Web: www.oyewole-unaab.com
Web: www.unaabcolamrucs.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 08 July 2004 07:47
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 54: Re: Traditional fermentation in developing countries // GE microorganisms

My name is Lydia Sasu, a Home Science Extension/Farmer and a co-ordinator for Farmers Organisation Network in Ghana (FONG). This is a food security network.

I am referring to gari processing. In Ghana, our traditional mothers have different ways of processing gari. Again, we have different varieties of cassava and different methods for processing into gari. The sweet cassava gives better taste and higher price. The longer the fermentation time the sourer it tastes. Starters are not used in gari but a normal processing between 1-3 days.

Lydia Sasu
Farmers Organisation Network in Ghana (FONG)
P.O.Box DK 18
Darkuman
Accra
Ghana
Tel. 233-021-315894
e-mail: daa (at) africaonline.com.gh

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 08 July 2004 09:36
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 55: Microbial enzymes // Integrated approach to traditional fermentation processes

My name is Rosa Rolle, I am an Agricultural Industries Officer in the Agricultural and Food Engineering Technologies Service of FAO.

1. As discussed in the Background Document, enzymes are value-added products of fermentation processes, which can be applied as processing aids. I have come across a few literature reports on the production of microbial enzymes in India, through the solid substrate fermentation of by-products (such as bran, corn cobs etc). Are microbial enzymes associated with traditional fermented foods being at all studied/characterized/applied otherwise?

2. Fermentation is just one step of a food bioprocessing operation (a bioprocess consists of three major steps: raw material preparation, bioprocessing, product recovery) but is nevertheless the most critical step in the preservation/transformation of a raw material. A number of operations (e.g. peeling, cutting, washing, grating) are performed in preparation for fermentation. Post-fermentation operations are also required in order to facilitate recovery of the product after the fermentation process. The fermentation process itself must also be monitored/controlled. An integrated approach which incorporates consideration for the technical design of appropriate levels of equipment, as well as appropriate quality control, must therefore be taken in the development/improvement of traditional fermentation processes. Starter culture development must however provide the driving force.

Rosa S. Rolle
FAO/AGST
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100, Rome
Italy
Rosa.Rolle (at) fao.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 08 July 2004 14:17
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 56: Re: Biotechnology // Commercial Opportunites // Nutraceuticals

I am Dr Wellington Otieno of the Secretariat National Food Policy of Kenya.

Modern biotechnology is a new field which has moved extremely fast although it emerges from indigeneous knowledge and traditional practices in many parts of the world including Africa. I fully agree with Nelson Ojijo Olang'o (Message 46, July 5) that there should be more exposure to biotechnology in the food science and technology departments in African universities. His sentiments are confirmed by Rose Rita Kingamkono (Message 48, July 5).

Dr Olang'o's message 46 in support to Marcel Hofman (Message 7, June 17), is appropriate and to the point. Biotechnology application, especially for rural-based agro-processing in Africa, could have many benefits including:

(a) Stimulating agricultural production, as the farm produce would have immediate and instant value added component. This means that the current high farm produce wastage and losses due to pests will be reduced significantly because of the increased shelf life.
(b) Rural-based agro-processing would introduce a new stream of job creation for the rural population. The World Bank's Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAP) has made African countries go through a process of retrenchment of its people in both the public and private sectors. Biotechnology-based rural agro-processing could therefore be appropriate and timely.
(c) Rural-based agro processing could be the main source for sub-contracts by larger food manufacturing companies for further refined processing of intermediate goods into final food products. Such a process would naturally link the rural farm enterprises with urban food industries, resulting in a stimulated industrial development throughout the country.
(d) By introduction of simple biotechnology techniques, skills, equipment and technologies into the rural areas, this could form the beginnings of agriculture-led industrial development in Africa.

It is on the above context that biotechnology in the context of food processing could hold much promise for Africa's development. It should be taught in all departments of agriculture, food science and technology, veterinary medicine etc in African universities.

Dr Wellington Otieno
Director, Foodlink Resources Institute
P O Box 74506, 00200
Nairobi,
Kenya
Tel: 254-20-609589
Email: foodlink (at) nbi.ispkenya.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 10 July 2004 17:08
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 57: To create science-based enterprises and improve livelihoods

This is from Dr Jorge Mayer, Golden Rice Project Manager, Campus Technologies Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Germany.

To create science-based enterprises and improve livelihoods

Microbial biotechnology -old and new- in food production is not only a very important source of value-added food (for taste, storeability, probiotics) worldwide but it also offers good opportunities (i) to expand small to medium-sized enterprises, (ii) to enhance the application of science-based technologies in developing countries and (iii) to improve the livelihoods of a vast sector of the population.

Increase of population numbers calls for expansion of traditional foodstuff production to satisfy the needs in rural villages and urban areas. Upscaling of traditional processes requires the establishment of reproducible parameters - it is not the same to lose a batch of 10 Kg or one of one tonne or more. As has been said before in the discussion, attention must be paid to all steps in the process, the quality of the incoculum being just one of them. [For example, Rosa Rolle's message 55, July 8...Moderator].

In scientific terms, the characterisation and manipulation of microorganisms involves a number of rather amenable techniques which can be handled by small, economically viable setups and in university environments. A virtuous cycle can be developed to involve scientists in developing countries to strongly participate in the creation of comprehensive databases (products, microorganisms, problems, techniques, etc) and well-characterised microorganism collections. These collections can then be the source of commercial innocula for an increasing number of small to medium production centers.

Ideally, innocula would be provided in lyophilised form or any other long-term storage form, the cheaper the better. Following an interactive mode of operation, collections could grow continuosly and novel, intersting traits could be identified and incorporated into commercial products. Commercially interesting inventions (not discoveries) could be patented in developed countries to create sources of additional income, but in general cost recovery would come from commercialisation of innocula and alliances between researchers and producers. This is expected to happen only in very rare cases, the most important product of my train of thoughts here is the creation of a diversified food industry that created jobs and knowledge.

With time, products identified as health-promoting can then be introduced into regions where they were previously unknown, i.e. where there was no tradition in the making of that product. Microorganisms and their by-products can be a very valuable source of micronutrients, which as we know are essential for the proper assimilation of most macronutrients. It would be commendable to identify products able to deliver such micronutrients in the most efficient manner. This might include the transfer of some traits from one microorganism to the other, by whatever technique (this has been done traditionally by conjugation or simple selection).

While at CIAT, I was involved in the characterisation of the microorganisms involved in cassava solid state fermentation for the production of sour starch in Colombia. It turned out that what was thought to be the product of a complex mixture of microorganisms could be achieved using an innoculum of one single strain of Lactobacillus plantarum. The process could not only be made reproducible using the innoculum, making sure that all other bacteria (like those producing longer, bad smelling fatty acids), but it was also shortened by one week to about 18 days. These alone are major points in favor of adopting improved technologies in commercial setups of any size. [The Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) is one of the 15 Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centres with its headquarters in Colombia...Moderator].

Dr Jorge E. Mayer
Golden Rice Project Manager
Center for Applied Biosciences
University of Freiburg
Stefan Meier Str 8
D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
jorge.mayer (at) zab.uni-freiburg.de
Ph +49 (761) 203 5022
Fax +49 (761) 203 5021
http://www.zab.uni-freiburg.de

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 12 July 2004 09:18
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 58: Re: To create science-based enterprises and improve livelihoods

This is from Folarin Oguntoyinbo, Nigeria.

Jorge Mayer (message 57, July 10) is absolutely correct with all his dispositions. Biotech is a major key to food productivity and empowerment. The awareness of biotech potentials is limited in most developing countries and the attitude of the different government agencies responsible for development of biotechnology does not help matters. Another factor militating against growth of biotech is very poor infrastructure, especially energy. However, credits most go to some foreign instructions that encourages scientists from developing countries to visit and acquire modern techniques in biotechnology.

One particular evidence that convinced me of the fact that biotech most be embraced is the molecular typing techniques that strongly discriminate all microorganisms involved in fermentation and show their succession as the fermentation progresses, in the process identifying pathogenic and spoilage organisms. A typical example is the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). After microbial identification, key technological parameters can also be investigated using biotechnological techniques most of which are readily available in the literature. The importance of these techniques can not be over emphasized, especially for starter cultures development much needed for scale-up of traditional fermented foods. [Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) is a technique which separates DNA fragments of the same length but with different base pair sequences. It allows, for example, separation of PCR-amplified fragments of ribosomal ribonucleic acids (rRNA) genes, much used for studying microbial communities...Moderator].

Biotechnological research is highly capital intensive. Most of the work done in biotech in most developed counties research is well funded by government or intergovernmental projects like European Union projects and private sector cooperation. Funding of research and fermentation scale-up should be approached via a regional-based strategy whereby each region, comprising 5-10 different countries having similar fermented foods, can develop projects that can bring about strong capacity building and action implementation starting with research and ending in empowerment of the local production. This strategy will prevent duplication of research findings. For instance, a single project on fermented vegetable protein in West Africa can investigate fermentation of Iru, Ogiri, Okpehe, ugba in Nigeria, Dawadawa in Ghana, Soumbala in Burkina Faso and other French speaking countries, also different dairy products in East Africa etc. An international biotechnology and culture collection centre can be co-funded by the different countries in each sub-region. This centre will also create strategy for a science based enterprises.

It is not the name that we call our departments that really matters as earlier stipulated. The most important thing is the substance that comes out of our teaching and research findings. Education in developing countries requires a systemic approach and adequate evaluation to be able to address national needs in line with current trends in science and technology. Training and re-training of personnel in universities and research institutes are the key to teaching of biotechnology and advancement in biotechnology. Most techniques in biotech requires good laboratory work with modern equipment to cope with. Most of these facilities are still absent in universities and research institutes in most developing countries.

Dr. Folarin Oguntoyinbo
Department of Botany and Microbiology
University of Lagos
Akoka, Lagos,
Nigeria.
foguntoyinbo (at) yahoo.com

Current address:
Division of Food Sciences
University of Nottingham
Sutton Bonington Campus
Loughborough Leics
LE12 5RD,
UK
Tel: +44(0)115 951 6141
Fax: +44(0)115 951 6142

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 14 July 2004 11:02
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 59: Molecular ecology, food safety and intellectual property rights

From Carmen Wacher, Food and Biotechnology Dept., Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City. I work on the microbiology of Mexican traditional fermented foods.

Mexican traditional fermented foods have not been studied as well as those of other countries (as those that have been participating in this conference, which I have found very interesting). Most of our foods are based on maize, which is our staple food, and in many cases they are important as everyday food. This is the case of pozol, an acid beverage prepared from fermented nixtamal (maize cooked in lime-water) dough, which our team has been studying.

After studying the microbiology of pozol with traditional techniques, our team (in collaboration with the Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD), France) has been using several molecular ecology methods, of which denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) has been especially useful. It has been possible to determine changes in the microbiota with time and at different depths of the pozol ball, as well as to find that Streptococcus is the predominant bacterium throughout fermentation and also the dominant amylolytic lactic acid bacterium. By analyzing a number of pozol samples with DGGE, we have also recently confirmed that this genus is dominant during fermentation.

Unusual strains have been isolated, as a Leuconostoc citreum with a cell-associated inulosucrase that had only been reported in Streptococcus mutans.

Regarding microbiological safety, a variety of Escherichia coli strains belonging to different diarrheagenic groups have been isolated, even at low pH values (3.7). These strains have been found to be acid resistant (as resistant or more than the O157:H7 serotype). It is then essential to improve hygienic conditions during its preparation and to make use of other antimicrobial compounds. To achieve this, it would be important to improve the process, as has been proposed in this conference.

Other groups have been studying a Bacillus strain isolated from pozol that produces antimicrobial compounds, and aflatoxins, of which AFB2 was found to be present in 5.4% of non-fermented doughs. [Aflatoxins are mycotoxins (i.e. toxic secondary metabolises produced by fungi) produced by the fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Of the different types of aflatoxins, the major ones are aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) aflatoxin B2 (AFB2), aflatoxin G1 (AFG1) and aflatoxin G2 (AFG2)...Moderator].

The Mexican law establishes that authorization is required to use Mexican biological resources. This authorization can only be granted with the consent of the owner of the place where the biological resource will be extracted, and this owner should be informed on how the biological resource will be used. The owners have the right to an equitable share of the economical benefit that may result from the studies or use of the resource.

Authorization is also required for sampling for scientific purposes and in this case there must be a guarantee that research results will be publicly accessible.

The above is well established for wild flora and fauna, but not for resources as fermented foods, in which traditional knowledge is involved. The main problem has been to decide who should give the consent and receive the economical share. The authorization has been given by the community leaders of the region under study, but for the case of foods that are produced in large regions (as pozol), other communities might claim they are also the "owners" or "inventors".

It has been very difficult to get funds to study our fermented foods (practically impossible in the last 3 years). I find interesting the idea of Folarin Oguntoyinbo (Message 58, July 12), who proposes to form regional groups to study similar fermented foods.

Dr. Carmen Wacher
Departamento de Alimentos y Biotecnologia
Facultad de Quimica,
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM),
04510 Mexico, D.F.,
Mexico
Tel and fax 52 55 5622-5315
wacher (at) servidor.unam.mx

[Pozol is a fermented maize dough formed into balls of various shapes and sizes ranging from 10-12 cm in length, 5-8 cm in width and 70-170 g in weight. Some unusually large pozol balls weigh 1 kg or more. It is consumed by the Indian and mestizo populations, mainly in the Southeastern states of Mexico, such as Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan, and on a smaller scale in Veracruz, Oaxaca and Guatemala. More information can be found in pages 105-108 of Chapter 4, entitled "Cereal fermentations in Latin Amercian countries" by Rodolfo Quintero-Ramirez, Argelia Lorence-Quinones and Carmen Wacher-Rodarte, in FAO Agricultural Services Bulletin nr. 138, entitled "Fermented cereals: A global prespective" , at http://www.fao.org/docrep/x2184e/x2184e00.htm ...Moderator].

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 14 July 2004 11:39
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 60: Bitter flavor in fresh cheese

I am Muhi El-Dine Hilali from ICARDA.

I have a question regarding cheese. Why there is sometimes a bitter flavor in fresh cheese? Is it due to the rennet type or because of the psychrotrophic bacteria which were not killed by pasteurization! The bitterness appears also in cheese manufactured without starter, and normally the bitterness appears after around 4 days of manufacturing. [Psychrotrophic bacteria are capable of developing over a wide temperature range and they can grow at temperatures close to or below freezing. They are important for spoilage of refrigerated food products...Moderator].

Muhi El-Dine Hilali
International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)
Natural Resource Management Program
Sheep Unit
Tel +963-21-2213433
Fax +963-21-2213490
P.O.Box 5466
Aleppo
Syria
m.hilali (at) cgiar.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 14 July 2004 11:43
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 61: Need for research, data collecting and information distribution

Just a few words to thank the FAO and the moderator for organising this much enlightening conference, and all the contributors for many new insights and valuable information in the first instance about traditional fermentation technology.

One outstanding conclusion is that there is a wealth of knowledge available not only to enhance the local quality of life but also to fertilise global research on fermented food.

The main danger is that the fast progressing globalisation may replace much of the traditional food by standardized "western style" commodities. There is for sure an urgent need for research, data collecting and information distribution. The creation of regional data bases and culture collections has been proposed.

For wide distribution also in an environment where internet connections are not always widely available, the printed book remains the most efficient tool. I am well aware of the tremendous, but also very rewarding, task an edited book on traditional aspects of food fermentation represents. Many of the contributors to this conference are however well placed and fully qualified to undertake such a task, and if some of them feel interested I would only be to happy to propose to Springer-Kluwer, the publishers of the Focus on Biotechnology book series, to make sure that such a volume gets the platform and distribution it deserves.

Prof Dr ir Marcel Hofman
President SCIBB
Chairman ORCOM ECB9
Series Editor Focus on Biotechnology
Fax 32 2 767 21 91 Tel 32 2 767 2399
Hondsbergen 2, BE-3080 Tervuren
Belgium
mailto: secretariat (at) ecb9.be

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 14 July 2004 14:16
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 62: Re: Need for research, data collecting and information distribution

This conference really encouraged and must have given the new direction to individuals pursuing their higher studies or just starting their careers or who have established themselves as well as the scientific community all over the world engaged in biotechnology: food fermentation. The idea put forward by Marcel Hofman (Message 61, July 14), for collecting and compiling the knowledge available not only to enhance the local quality of life but also to fulfill the hunger of scientific community in global research on fermented food. The creation of regional data bases and culture collections has been proposed, which is required at ground level needs to be accomplished. The information circulated/communicated on traditional fermented food during this conference is of immence siginificance to all of us. Thanks are due to FAO and the organizers of such a wonderful electronic conference.

Dr. Shashi Bhushan,
Division of Biotechnology,
Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR),
Palampur(HP)-176061
India
shashidbhushan (at) yahoo.co.in

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 14 July 2004 14:28
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 63: Re: Bitter flavor in fresh cheese

In reply to Muhi El-Dine Hilali (Message 60, July 14):

Slight bitterness (like young chicory and taste panel reference as diluted caffeine solution) is often searched for in some fresh goat cheeses. Excess bitterness up to astringency (taste panel reference diluted alum solution) is an off flavour in cured cheeses as well as in fresh cheeses.

When a starter is used, starter composition controls the flavour development. Bitterness is often due to proteolysis, so any factor that increases proteolysis can provoke bitterness, mostly by enzymes released into the cheese when the bacteria present (starter or autochtonous) die off. The other way round, endopeptidases also released will reduce bitterness. Flavor development in fresh (and also in cured) cheese is a matter of balance. Many factors apart from the bacterial population can contribute. Bitterness development is, for instance, prevalent in low-fat cured say cheddar-type cheeses and has been traced back to both the lower fat and higher water content, increasing acid development but also influencing proteolysis. A remedy has been the use of a combined three strain starter. My advice would be that supplementing the rennet with a suitable starter to control the bacterial population can bring the flavor development under control.

Prof Dr ir Marcel Hofman
President SCIBB
Chairman ORCOM ECB9
Series Editor Focus on Biotechnology
Fax 32 2 767 21 91 Tel 32 2 767 2399
Hondsbergen 2, BE-3080 Tervuren
Belgium
mailto: secretariat (at) ecb9.be

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 14 July 2004 15:14
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 64: Biotechnology and starter cultures

I am Steven Gendel, and I work at the National Center for Food Safety and Technology (in Chicago, Illinois) as the Biotechnology Program Lead.

A number of the previous posts in this conference have mentioned the importance of starter cultures for various fermented food products. It seems to me that the production and distribution of starters is one area in which biotechnology can have a positive impact on traditional food processing and preparation.

As far as I can tell, much small scale or local production of fermented products depends on the action of whatever organisms happen to be present in the environment, perhaps aided by back inoculation from a previous batch. A well thought out starter culture program could provide several improvements over this. First, production of the starter (or starters) could be carried out at a central facility with access to the technology to ensure purity and consistency. For example, molecular fingerprinting could be used to ensure that only the desired strains are present. Second, the use of defined starters should improve product consistency - at least it will reduce one of the major sources of variability. Third, well designed starters could reduce the possibility of pathogen growth in the product.

The biggest technical hurdle to be overcome is preservation and distribution of the starter. Probably the best way to do this is in a dry ("shelf stable") form in a single use packet. This is one area where technology and research should be valuable - the development of technology for producing such dry material while maintaining viability and rapid regrowth.

It is also possible to envision a system in which genetically modified organisms could be introduced for improved performance and safety. There are several schemes that can be used to prevent growth of any modified organisms in the environment.

Given the variety in local tastes and inputs, such a starter culture program would probably need to be a distributed system - that is; there would need to be a number of different culture producers in different geographic areas.

Finally, genetic technology should also be able to contribute to simply characterizing the organisms present in the fermentations as they are currently used, and perhaps to developing tests that could be used to indicate whether undesired organisms are present.

Steven Gendel,
National Center for Food Safety and Technology
Chicago,
Illinois
United States
Steven.Gendel (at) CFSAN.FDA.GOV

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 14 July 2004 15:55
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 65: Re: Bitter flavor in fresh cheese

It might be useful to add more information on the taste panel, mentioned in my previous message 63 (July 14):

Even in an age where instrumental analysis becomes more and more performant, sensorial analysis is still unbeaten when studying flavours. Similar tastes may be generated by very different compounds or combinations thereof. Bitterness and astringency often give rise to discussions. When speaking about cheese, the position of customers is very relative and related to, for instance, accompanying drinks. In a beer drinking country, more bitterness may be tolerated than in a wine drinking country. And speaking about wine, different wines may influence the judgment appreciably: a Sancerre wine that is a perfect companion for a fresh goat cheese would make a tinge of bitterness very objectionable. That is why professional taste panels judge food, wine, beer, but also cheese or butter "on their own", rinsing the mouth between samples. Water rinse or chewing a piece of bread are common means to get rid of "aftertaste" effects.

Some tastes may create discussion even between experts. Simple solutions may be used as reference standards. In my previous message, I cited from memory caffeine and alum, looked up afterwards:
bitter : 0.8 g/L caffeine solution
astringent : 1 g/L alum (aluminium sulfate) solution

Prof Dr ir Marcel Hofman
President SCIBB
Chairman ORCOM ECB9
Series Editor Focus on Biotechnology
Fax 32 2 767 21 91 Tel 32 2 767 2399
Hondsbergen 2, BE-3080 Tervuren
Belgium
mailto: secretariat (at) ecb9.be

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 14 July 2004 16:45
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 66: Areas for national, regional and international co-operation

I am Ashok Seth. I work as a consultant in agriculture and rural development.

As someone not directly involved with food processing and biotechnology, I have learned a lot from postings of all the contributors. I am particularly taken by suggestions put forward by Marcel Hofman (Message 61, July 14) to collate and document available traditional and modern information. Such a move on a regional basis could of considerable value to all concerned. I was equally taken by the contribution of Steven Gendel (Message 64, July 14) who emphasised the importance of starter materials and pointed to a need for further research to produce these in forms that can be easily preserved and distributed. In my view, another possible area for regional co-operation. The important contributions in increasing agricultural production through germplasm improvement by both the public and the private sectors is a good parallel here.

One area that has not received attention is the possible backward linkages with researchers in the production phase of raw materials (e.g. cereals, cassava, etc.) to see how plant breeders (with or without tools of biotechnology) could contribute to the quality (ease and reliability of fermentation, nutritive value) of food products. There is clearly a need for multidisciplinary teams to work on priority targets that provide opportunities for value addition, improved nutrition, higher income and greater food security to both the rural and urban communities with limited free cash for 'pre-packaged' food products...

While we have successfully identified areas for national, regional and international co-operation, possibly involving both the public and the private institutions, there is room for further debate on 'enabling actions' that would make such co-operation a reality. Here, I feel there is an important role for institutions like FAO, World Bank and bilateral donors. They could either individually or collectively allocate resources through ongoing projects or new initiatives to bring together multidisciplinary teams who are able to identify and work on high priority research initiatives with monitorable outcomes to help poor communities.

Ashok Seth
ARD Consultants Ltd.
Alton
Hampshire,
UK
AKSth1 (at) aol.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 15 July 2004 07:45
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 67: Re: Biotechnology and starter cultures

I am Alex Owusu-Biney, National Biosafety Project Coordinator tasked to help develop a National Biosafety Framework for Ghana. I work at the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute in Ghana. My background is in biochemistry and have had some additional training in technology policy and information management issues especially in biotechnology and biosafety.

I have been following the present discussions with keen interest. And would want to extend my appreciation to the organisers for us to share on biotechnology and processing related issues.

I agree with Steven Gendel on the issues raised in message 64 (July 14). There has been some work on starter cultures including the Fermented foods programme by WAITRO (World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organizations). What we need to do is to try to harness some of these achievements in the development and commercial processes for starter culture industries. In the case of Africa, there are a lot of Africans dispersed in America and Europe who crave for fermented African foods. The problem is access to readily available easy to constitute starter cultures. Just like baker's yeast in dry and powdered forms, some of these cultures could be packaged and exported for various kinds of foods e.g. kenkey, soumbala etc. Some wet and probably uncharacterised cultures are sent sometimes out of Africa in small quantities presently. Some people drive miles in America and Europe for good fermented African foods.

What is needed is consistency and purity and well characterised cultures that will ensure acceptable flavour and related sensory qualities. Such cultures could also assist mass production of some of our fermented foods and reduce the drudgery and the long processing time.

Biotechnology can be used to improve the quality of the organisms involved in starter cultures through characterisation of the genetic information of the microorganisms.

I believe there are commercial opportunities and there is the need for fermentation scientists and biotechnologists to engage industry in developing starter cultures for specific fermented foods which can be upstreamed for mass production and export of dry starter cultures.

This could create opportunities for regional and international cooperation as raised by Ashok Seth (message 66, July 14).

Alex Owusu-Biney
National Project Coordinator,
UNEP/GEF Project on "Development of National Biosafety Frameworks"
Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute
P. O. Box LG. 80, Legon
Accra,
Ghana
bineya (at) idngh.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 16 July 2004 10:19
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: 68: Food biotechnology

This is K.K. Vinod from India again.

The conference has been tremendously useful to me to know the exciting avenues of food biotechnology. In countries like India, where traditional systems of food processing have been nurtured through the ages, the new avenues would, I am sure, pave the way to newer thinking in the minds of food scientists to improve and sustain the values of traditional systems. We have here many unique processes of milk processing, butter and cheese making as well as rice processing which I am sure are great biotechnologies, as the definition of biotechnology goes as "any technology involving biological organisms, living or dead using natural processes and products". Here agriculture itself is the ancient biotechnology.

Though the moderator rightly commented and cut the discussion thread on my earlier suggestions on genetically modified crops (message 26, June 23), I have been very enthusiastically reading through the comments from all over the world on food biotechnology. I wholeheartedly appreciate the moderator for the job. I expect to participate in future conferences, as this forum I find is novel and enthusiastic.

Though I have no specific comment to make in this last day of the conference, I am sure to say that this has been very informative. I appreciate all those who have participated. Thank you.

K.K. Vinod
Centre for Plant Breeding and Genetics,
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,
Coimbatore 641003
Tamil Nadu
India
E-mail: kkvinod (at) myrealbox.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Biotech-Mod3
Sent: 16 July 2004 10:28
To: biotech-room3@mailserv.fao.org
Subject: End of FAO conference on biotechnology in food processing

Dear Colleagues,

The last message (number 68), from K.K. Vinod, has been posted so Conference 11 of the FAO Biotechnology Forum, on "Biotechnology applications in food processing: Can developing countries benefit?", is now officially closed.

FAO established this Forum four years ago with the aim of providing quality balanced information on agricultural biotechnology in developing countries and to make a neutral platform available for people to exchange views and experiences on this subject. We hope that you found this conference both interesting and of value. All the messages posted will remain on the Forum website for people to read in the future, at http://www.fao.org/biotech/logs/c11logs.htm. As is standard practice with conferences in this Forum, we will also prepare a Summary Document in the future to provide a summary of the main issues discussed during the conference, based on the messages posted and circulate it widely.

For your interest, we can provide some figures about participation in the conference. It ran for just over four weeks, from 14 June to 15 July 2004, and a total of 411 people subscribed, which is actually the second highest number of subscribers from the 11 conferences that we have hosted so far.

Of the 411 people, 38 (i.e. 9%) submitted at least one message. The greatest number of messages, 27 of the 68 posted (i.e. 40%), came from people living in Africa. This was followed by Asia (29%), Europe (21%), North America (7%) and Latin America and the Caribbean (3%). The messages came from people living in 19 different countries, with major inputs from India and Nigeria who together accounted for over 45% of all messages posted. A total of 48 messages (i.e. 71%) were from participants living in developing countries and 20 (29%) from participants in developed countries.

Roughly two thirds of the messages came from people working in universities (31 messages) or research centres, including CGIAR centres. The remainder came from people working as consultants, for farmer organisations, government agencies, NGOs, UN organisations or the private sector.

Finally, a very special and sincere thanks to all of the 38 individuals who submitted messages and who made this conference so interesting and useful.

John Ruane, PhD
FAO Working Group on Biotechnology,
FAO website http://www.fao.org
Forum website http://www.fao.org/biotech/forum.asp
FAO Biotechnology website http://www.fao.org/biotech/index.asp