Strains from traditional wild fermented foods – starters and probiotics

In several projects and for many years, research led by Andlid has resulted in a collection of yeasts and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from traditional fermented foods, mainly from villages in Africa. 

These strains have been selected for a very long time to function together with humans, in the fermentation process as well as in the human gut. The microorganisms are likely to have co-evolved with humans, possibly for thousands of years.

Only strains producing a food with qualities accepted and desired by the village people, and found safe to consume live, have survived the selection and evolution. 

Among those, there is a high probability to find probiotics beneficial for human health, as well as starter strains for different types of raw material and food fermentation process.

Andlid Bio Solutions is willing to discuss using these strains to search for new fermented foods, finding starter strains and finding probiotics.

Photos on the right side: Collecting samples for isolating fermenting yeasts and LAB from so called togwa, in Mbweni, Kinondoni District in Tanzania.

Togwa is a traditional Tanzanian fermented product (made in several versions) based on sorghum, maize, casava and red finger millet. Photo: T. Andlid and A. Hellström

Key References  

2008  Production of folates by yeasts in Tanzanian fermented togwa
          SB Hjortmo, AM Hellström, TA Andlid
          FEMS yeast research 8 (5), 781-787

2010  Biodiversity and phytase capacity of yeasts isolated from Tanzanian togwa
          AM Hellström, R Vázques-Juárez, U Svanberg, TA Andlid
         International journal of food microbiology 136 (3), 352-358

2012  Degradation of phytate by Pichia kudriavzevii TY13 and Hanseniaspora guilliermondii TY14 in                     Tanzanian togwa
        AM Hellström, A Almgren, NG Carlsson, U Svanberg, TA Andlid
        International journal of food microbiology 153 (1-2), 73-77

2015  Genotypic identification of yeast isolated from Yaghnobi fermented milk
         L Qvirist, F Strati, C De Filippo, M Modesto, T Andlid, P Mattarelli, GE Felis, ...
        YEAST 32, S196-S196

2015  Genotypic identification of yeast isolated from Yaghnobi fermented milk
          L Qvirist, F Strati, C De Filippo, M Modesto, T Andlid, P Mattarelli, GE Felis, ...
         YEAST 32, S196-S196

2015  Secretion of non‐cell‐bound phytase by the yeast Pichia kudriavzevii TY13
          A Hellström, L Qvirist, U Svanberg, J Veide Vilg, T Andlid
         Journal of applied microbiology 118 (5), 1126-1136

2016  Isolation, identification and characterization of yeasts from fermented goat milk of the Yaghnob                Valley in Tajikistan
          LA Qvirist, C De Filippo, F Strati, I Stefanini, M Sordo, T Andlid, GE Felis, ...
         Frontiers in microbiology 7, 1690

2020  Degradation of Phytate in Composite Bread by addition of Phytase releasing Yeast Pichia                            kudriavzevii TY13
          SL Vilanculos, U Svanberg, T Andlid
         J Nut Sci Heal Diet 1 (2), 30-37

2022 Phytate degradation in composite wheat/cassava/sorghum bread: Effects of preincubation of                 Pichia kudriavzevii TY13 and presence of yeast extract
         SL Vilanculos, Svanberg Ulf, Andlid Thomas
        African Journal of Food Science 16 (12), 310-318

2020  Degradation of Phytate in Composite Bread by addition of Phytase releasing Yeast Pichia                            kudriavzevii TY13
          SL Vilanculos, U Svanberg, T Andlid
          J Nut Sci Heal Diet 1 (2), 30-37