title: Produce from Africa's Gardens: Potential for Leafy Vegetable and Fruit Fermentations.
abstract: A rich variety of indigenous fruits and vegetables grow in Africa, which contribute to the nutrition and health of Africa's populations. Fruits and vegetables have high moisture and are thus inherently prone to accelerated spoilage. Food fermentation still plays a major role in combating food spoilage and foodborne diseases that are prevalent in many of Africa's resource disadvantaged regions. Lactic acid fermentation is probably the oldest and best-accepted food processing method among the African people, and is largely a home-based process. Fermentation of leafy vegetables and fruits is, however, underutilized in Africa, although such fermented products could contribute toward improving nutrition and food security in this continent, where many are still malnourished and suffer from hidden hunger. Fermentation of leafy vegetables and fruits may not only improve safety and prolong shelf life, but may also enhance the availability of some trace minerals, vitamins and anti-oxidants. Cassava, cow-peas, amaranth, African nightshade, and spider plant leaves have a potential for fermentation, as do various fruits for the production of vinegars or fruit beers and wines. What is needed to accelerate efforts for production of fermented leaves and vegetables is the development of fermentation protocols, training of personnel and scale-up of production methods. Furthermore, suitable starter cultures need to be developed and produced to guarantee the success of the fermentations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, LagosNigeria; Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Max Rubner-Institut, KielGermany.
authors.forename: Folarin A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Oguntoyinbo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council of Italy, Bari Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fusco
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Max Rubner-Institut, Kiel Germany.
authors.forename: Gyu-Sung
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Max Rubner-Institut, Kiel Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kabisch
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Max Rubner-Institut, Kiel Germany.
authors.forename: Horst
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Neve
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Max Rubner-Institut, Kiel Germany.
authors.forename: Wilhelm
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bockelmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Safety and Quality of Fruit and Vegetables, Max Rubner-Institut, Karlsruhe Germany.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huch
authors.affiliation: Department of Safety and Quality of Fruit and Vegetables, Max Rubner-Institut, Karlsruhe Germany.
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frommherz
authors.affiliation: Department of Safety and Quality of Fruit and Vegetables, Max Rubner-Institut, Karlsruhe Germany.
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Trierweiler
authors.affiliation: Department of Safety and Quality of Fruit and Vegetables, Max Rubner-Institut, Karlsruhe Germany.
authors.forename: Biserka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.affiliation: Área de Microbiología, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Jaén, Jaén Spain.
authors.forename: Nabil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Benomar
authors.affiliation: Área de Microbiología, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Jaén, Jaén Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gálvez
authors.affiliation: Área de Microbiología, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Jaén, Jaén Spain.
authors.forename: Hikmate
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abriouel
authors.affiliation: Advanced Green Energy and Environment Institute, Handong Global University, Pohang South Korea.
authors.forename: Wilhelm H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Holzapfel
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Max Rubner-Institut, Kiel Germany.
authors.forename: Charles M A P
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Franz
keywords: fermentation; food security; horticulture; postharvest