What You Need to Know
During fermentation, endogenous amylases hydrolyze taro starch into maltose and glucose, which are then metabolized by lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus plantarum and Leuconostoc mesenteroides to produce lactic acid, ethanol, and CO₂. The acidification lowers the pH to 4.0–4.5, inhibiting spoilage organisms and stabilizing the product. The process also reduces the glycemic index by converting some starch to acids and alcohol.
The Science
Primary Reaction
Hydrolysis of starch to sugars followed by lactic acid fermentation