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Maize: Nutrition Dynamics and Novel Uses pp 119–134Cite as

Maize Utilisation in Food Bioprocessing: An Overview

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Abstract

Fermented foods are considered as palatable and wholesome foods prepared from raw or heated raw materials and appreciated for their attributes such as pleasant flavour, aroma, texture, improved processing properties and better digestibility. Fermentation is carried out by the action of a single or a group of micro-organisms including homo- and heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria; moulds such as Mucor, Rhizopus, Trichoderma, Aspergillus and Penicillium; and yeasts such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Hansenula anomala and Debaryomyces hansenii. Globally, cereals rank number one as food crops as well as fermentation substrates. Among cereal crops, maize with annual worldwide production of 876.8 million metric tons during 2011–2012 has been utilised in the fermented form for hundreds of years as a stimulant, in traditional medicine, as well as in religious ceremonies. Maize is a good source of dietary fibre and protein, while being very low in fat and sodium. The endosperm consists of 72–73 % starch embedded in a protein matrix that makes the maize an excellent substrate for fermentation. Maize is processed, fermented and consumed in various ways. It is usually ground and pounded followed by boiling, baking or frying. Alternatively, the whole grain may be boiled or roasted prior to fermentation. Maize meal can be cooked with water either to provide a thick mush/dough or to provide gruel, porridge or soup. In this chapter, we elaborate the processing of maize for fermentation and illustrate the diversity, importance and microbiological features of some fermented maize products.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, CCS HAU, Hisar, India

    Seema Sangwan & Sneh Goyal

  2. Germplasm Evaluation Division, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, India

    Sandeep Kumar

Authors
  1. Seema Sangwan
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  2. Sandeep Kumar
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  3. Sneh Goyal
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Correspondence to Seema Sangwan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Directorate of Maize Research, New Delhi, Delhi, India

    Dharam Paul Chaudhary

  2. Germplasm Evaluation Division, National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, Delhi, India

    Sandeep Kumar

  3. Directorate of Maize Research, New Delhi, Delhi, India

    Sapna Langyan

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Sangwan, S., Kumar, S., Goyal, S. (2014). Maize Utilisation in Food Bioprocessing: An Overview. In: Chaudhary, D., Kumar, S., Langyan, S. (eds) Maize: Nutrition Dynamics and Novel Uses. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-1623-0_10

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