Insight into Bamboo-based Fermented Foods by Galo (Sub-tribe) of Arunachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

Fermented foods play an important role in the social fabrication of a large number of populations throughout the world. Fermented foods offer several advantages over the raw materials by improving nutritional quality, digestibility, sensory attributes, enhancing vitamins and micronutrients, reducing anti-nutrients and replenishing intestinal microflora. Bamboo is indispensable to the people of Asia, Africa and Latin America due to its versatile uses. India is the second largest bamboo producer of the world and Northeastern states of India contribute the most. Edible bamboo shoots being seasonal and perishable are fermented for their future consumption. Ethnic people of Arunachal Pradesh are credited for developing a multitude of traditional bamboo-based fermented foods. Besides above mentioned attributes, toxic cyanogenic glycosidic compounds present in bamboo shoot can be destroyed during fermentation. Among the various tribes residing in Arunachal Pradesh, Galo is a culturally rich sub-tribe descending from Adi tribe. This article gives an overview of various bamboo based fermented foods prepared by Galo sub-tribe of Arunachal Pradesh.