Probiotic foods: Benefits to the cereal based Sri Lankan diet

Abstract

The Sri Lankan diet of which the staple is rice, has unacceptable levels of antinutritional substances, particularly phytic acid, which is associated with fibre, a dietary component originating from plant sources of food. Low anthropometric indicators among preschool children suggestive of undernutrition have remained static over several years. Some microbes that ferment food are known to produce phytase that metabolize phytic acid in addition to providing other benefits. Some of these microbes in fermented foods serve as probiotics, which help maintain homeostasis within the gut microbiota, thus providing a wide range of health benefits. At present, it is a worldwide trend to incorporate probiotics to the daily diet in fermented foods, while a market for novel probiotic foods is catching on. In the gut, probiotics can thrive on indigestible carbohydrates (fibre) serving as prebiotics. Therefore, designing synbiotic foods having both probiotics and prebiotics with enhanced benefits is also becoming popular globally. This review evaluates the feasibility of introducing a wide range of fermented foods to the Sri Lankan diet. Such a move is envisaged to diversify the local diet thus helping to alleviate certain nutritional shortcomings. This can subsequently help in the introduction of specific probiotics with beneficial effects.

Providing a sound theoretical base and appropriate skills at early ages through nutrition education to improve food consumption patterns in Sri Lanka

“…Fermentation using health promoting microbes is another method of reducing the antinutritional substance phytic acid, resulted through microbial phytase produced by certain microorganisms used to ferment foods. In Sri Lanka, the most commonly consumed fermented products are curd and yogurt (Karunaratne, 2018). The cooked products made of fermenting black gram dough, such as dosa and wada will have less antinutrients (Seneviratne et al, 2012).…”

“…There are many ideas of fermented foods that can be incorporated into the Sri Lankan diet. Sauerkraut, kimchi, beet kvass, and various recipes where fermented black gram (Vigna mungo), fermented chickpea also known as Benghal gram (Kadala in Sinhala, Kadalai in Tamil) (Cicer arietinum), rice based fermented product known as ricera, com-me, fermented soya bean (soybean) known as tempeh (soya Karawala)are just a few examples to try out (Karunaratne, 2018). Various countries have their own traditional fermented foods prepared at a household level based on techniques passed on from generation to generation.…”