Characterizing microflora composition during the spontaneous fermentation of cassava flour

Quejos Ancient Foods (QAF) Inc. manufactures a line of dough-based food products that are gluten-free, grain-free, yeast-free, sugar-free. The dough is made from cassava flour, which has high concentration of carbohydrates and is rich in micronutrients. Traditionally, the cassava flour undergoes fermentation without the addition of yeast before the dough is made, and this process is not strictly regulated. In order to develop a standardized fermentation procedure for the production of a consistently high-quality product, we expect to generate critical information for the development of science-based quality control in cassava flour production. Specific objectives include: (1) to study the diversity and dynamics of the indigenous microflora during the fermentation of cassava flour using a combination of microbiological and molecular methods; (2) to evaluate the quality of cassava flour at different stages of fermentation, and (3) to evaluate the effectiveness of biomarkers in assessing the quality of fermented cassava flour.

Faculty Supervisor:

Siyun Wang

Student:

Aljosa Trmcic

Partner:

Quejos Ancient Foods

Discipline:

Food science

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

University of British Columbia