Thua-nao: Ethnic Fermented Soybean Food of Thailand

摘要

Thua - nao, indigenous fermented foods were developed through traditional or village-art methodologies, which were preserved over the years, in order to maintain the uniqueness and identity of these foods. Fermented foods are essential components of the diet in a number of developing countries. The fermentation of soybean by Bacillus spp. to produce thua-nao is an example of an alkaline fermentation process. Thua-nao is a culinary product that can be used to enhance or intensify meatiness in soups, sauces and other prepared dishes, which is widely consumed in the northern region of Thailand. In some areas, the product has become an item of diet in its own right not merely a flavouring agent. Other products of alkaline fermentation include Japanese natto, Indian kinema and African dawadawa. The preservative and flavour characteristics of these fermentations are derived in part from the liberation of ammonia and increased pH, concurrent with protein hydrolysis to free amino acids and peptides.