Himalayan Fermented Foods: Microbiology, Nutrition, and Ethnic Values

The magnificent Himalayan Mountains, the highest in the world and home to the famed Mount Everest and K2, are also imbued with a rich diversity of ethnic fermented foods. Dr. Jyoti Prakash Tamang, one of the leading authorities on food microbiology, has studied Himalayan fermented foods and beverages for the last twenty-two years. His comprehensive volume, Himalayan Fermented Foods: Microbiology, Nutrition, and Ethnic Values catalogs the great variety of common as well as lesser-known fermented foods and beverages in the Himalayan region.

This volume begins with an introduction to the Himalayas and the Himalayan food culture. Using a consistent format throughout the book, Dr. Tamang discusses fermented vegetables, legumes, milk, cereals, fish and meat products, and alcoholic beverages. Each chapter explores indigenous knowledge of preparation, culinary practices, and microorganisms for each product. Additional information on microbiology and nutritive value supplements each section, and discussions on ethnic food history and values as well as future prospects for these foods complete the coverage.

Dr. Tamang demonstrates that fermentation remains an effective, inexpensive method for extending the shelf life of foods and increasing their nutritional content through probiotic function, and therefore remains a valuable practice for developing countries and rural communities with limited facilities.

Dr. Jyoti Prakash Tamang, a leading authority in food microbiology, has been studying the Himalayan fermented foods and beverages concerning microbiology, nutritional aspects, functionalities, and food cultures for the last 22 years. He earned a B.Sc. (honors), M.Sc., and Ph.D. from North Bengal University, followed by post-doctoral research at the National Food Research Institute (Japan) and the Institute of Hygiene and Toxicology (Germany). Dr. Tamang was awarded the Gold Medal by North Bengal University in 1985, the National Bioscience Award of Department of Biotechnology of Ministry of Science and Technology of India in 2005, and became a Fellow of the Biotech Research Society of India in 2006. Dr. Tamang has published more than 75 research papers in peer-reviewed international and national journals, has filed a patent, and is currently guiding several students. He has presented his works in 17 different countries and is a member of several prestigious national and international academic and scientific organizations. He is a chief editor of Journal of Hill Research, and he is a regular reviewer of many reputable national and international scientific journals and books. Dr. Tamang is the president of the Centre for Traditional Food Research at Darjeeling, a team leader of the Food Microbiology Laboratory, and a senior visiting faculty in microbiology at Sikkim Central University.

The Himalayas and Food Culture
The Himalayas
Agriculture in the Himalayas
Ethnic people
Food culture
Fusion of Western and Eastern food cultures
What are ethnic fermented foods?
Fermented Vegetables
Important fermented vegetables
Microbiology
Nutritive value
Fermented Legumes
Important fermented soybean foods
Fermented black gram food
Microbiology
Nutritive value
Fermented Milks
Important fermented milk products
Microbiology
Nutritive valueF
ermented Cereals
Important fermented cereals
Microbiology
Nutritive value
Ethnic Fish Products
Important ethnic fish products
Microbiology
Nutritive value
Ethnic Meat Products
Important ethnic meat products
Microbiology
Nutritive value
Ethnic Starters and Alcoholic Beverages
Traditional starter culture
Alcoholic food beverages
Distilled liquor or alcoholic drink
Microbiology
Nutritive value
Antiquity and Ethnic Values
Antiquity
Ethnic values of the Himalayan fermented foods
Prospects of the Himalayan Fermented Foods
Medicinal aspects
Total substrate utilization
Commercialization through ethnic food tourism
Microbial genetic resources
Bibliography
Index