OPTIMISATION OF ETHNIC FERMENTED RICE BEER (XAJ) PRODUCTION OF ASSAM, INDIA
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Date
2017-07
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AAU, Jorhat
Abstract
“Xaj”, the popular rice based alcoholic beverage is produced by the Ahom community of Assam using fermentation starter, Xaj pitha. The methodology of Xaj brewing is almost similar among the Ahom community residing in different localities of Assam, however, the concoction of the fermentation starters differ in terms of varieties and number of herbs or plant parts resulting in variation of the quality and acceptability of the final product. Fermentation starters are mixed cultures of fungi, yeasts and bacteria that are maintained on substrates like rice powder, supplemented with various herbs. Both fungi and yeasts present in the starter cultures are involved in rice based alcoholic beverage fermentation. Fungi are primarily involved in the initial liquefaction and saccharification process that breaks down the rice starch to fermentable sugars that is subsequently converted into alcohol by the yeasts. Based on traditional starter manufacturing method, defined fermentation starter culture was developed with the compatible microbial cultures consisting of fungus Amylomyces rouxii (NCBI accession number KP790015) Wickerhomomyces anomalus (NCBI accession number KX904346 ) and yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae (NCBI accession number KX904349) isolated from collected Xaj pitha samples. Selected plant extracts of Leucas aspera Spreng. Lygodium flexosum Vent. Polygonum strigosum L., Centella asiatica Urban and Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. was added as representative herb for standard production of rice based alcoholic beverage based on their use value and frequency of use. Performance of defined starter culture in alcohol production and other biochemical properties of alcoholic beverage produced by defied starter culture were compared with that of Xaj produced using traditional starter culture, Xaj pitha. The rice based alcoholic beverage brewed using defined starter culture contained 10.23% (v/v) alcohol with 23.99% protein, 61.79% antioxidant activity, 0.48% acidity and a pH value of 3.79 after one month of fermentation whereas, the traditional starter culture was able to produce 12.3% alcohol, 22.27% protein, 60.23% antioxidant activity, 0.789% acidity and pH value of 3.33 after one month of fermentation. Fermentation was stabilised in the laboratory prepared rice based alcoholic beverage through the addition of sulphur dioxide (20ppm/L) and turbidity of standard alcoholic beverage was removed by filtration techniques that could be stored for 3 months without any major changes in the physical and chemical properties or taste. It also scored higher in Hedonic sensory attributes such as acidity, colour and overall acceptability. This study indicates the potential of defined starter to produce high quality standard Xaj pani which will pave the way to produce the product in commercial scale the near future.
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