Indian fermented foods: Public health and climate resilience
This paper is authored by Shoba Suri, Subhasree Ray, ORF.
Traditional Indian fermented foods represent a confluence of cultural heritage, nutritional functionality, and environmental sustainability, offering an effective dietary intervention amidst public health and climate-related challenges. Produced through natural or controlled microbial fermentation involving lactic acid bacteria, bifidobacteria, and yeasts, these foods—such as idli (steamed rice cake), dosa (rice and lentil crepe), dahi (curd), kanji (fermented rice porridge), and fermented vegetables—are rich in probiotics, bioactive compounds, and micronutrients. Fermentation eliminates anti-nutritional factors, thereby addressing micronutrient deficiencies and contributing to the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). It is also energy-efficient, resulting in less food waste and longer shelf life. This brief makes a case for a comprehensive, multi-sectoral strategy that will include public nutrition programmes, the development of microbial safety standards, support for small-scale fermentation enterprises, and targeted scientific research to corroborate the health claims.
Fermentation is one of the oldest biotechnological processes in food systems around the world. Rooted in diverse cultural and geographical contexts, it has evolved from a rudimentary preservation technique to a scientifically recognised method that results in multiple benefits across food safety, nutritional enhancement, and functional bioactivity. Fermented foods have long constituted integral components of traditional diets worldwide, ranging from dairy-based products such as yogurt in Europe and Central Asia, to fermented legumes and grains like natto (a soybean-based breakfast preparation), miso (a soybean paste fermented with the koji mould), ogi (millet pap), and injera (a sourdough flatbread made with teff flour) in East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. This wide-ranging utilisation underscores the global relevance of fermentation not only as a cultural artefact but as a scientifically endorsed strategy aligned with the EAT-Lancet Commission’s call for sustainable, health-promoting diets—enhancing nutritional security while simultaneously mitigating food waste through the preservation and valorisation of perishable or surplus produce.
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This paper is authored by Shoba Suri, Subhasree Ray, ORF.
