Microbiology of African Fermented Foods

Fermented food products play a unique and critical role in the daily lives of inhabitants of the African continent, serving as a primary source of diet, providing nutrients and supplying health-promoting benefits, with some having cultural and spiritual connotations. Fermentation is used in a wide range of food and beverage applications, and the technology for enhancing this process is continually evolving. This book provides a broad yet succinct insight into the role of microorganisms in African food products and systems, with chapters dedicated to wider classifications of these fermented foods. It offers new perspectives and covers recent developments regarding the microbiological complexity of these food products. This book would be a valuable resource for students, food technologists, microbiologists, scholars and policymakers highlighting the contribution to the discourse on indigenous fermentation science and African food innovation.

Dr. Gabriel Bidemi Akanni is an accomplished food scientist and microbiologist specializing in food microbiology, biotechnology, and food safety. He earned his PhD in Food Science from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. His research interests span antimicrobial resistance, microbial risk assessment, and the use of molecular and genomic techniques for pathogen surveillance. Dr. Akanni has held postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Johannesburg and Mountain Top University, where he contributed to foodborne disease epidemiology surveillance projects, co-funded by international organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He has published extensively on fermented food products, microbial safety in food production, and the metabolomics of African fermented foods. His work has been presented at international conferences and has garnered him several prestigious awards, including a VLIR-UOS scholarship and sponsorship from the International Committee for Food Microbiology and Hygiene. Currently, Dr. Akanni continues to contribute to food science and biotechnology through research, teaching, and collaborative projects across Africa and globally.

Dr. Abdullahi Adekilekun Jimoh is a researcher whose scientific endeavours resulted in 14 publications (675 citations, h-index=9, and i10-index=9) and collectively have a Field-Weighted Citation Impact of 1.1. He has a PhD in Microbiology awarded by the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Westville campus), South Africa, in 2020 where he examined the concept associated with biosurfactant synthesis, product optimization, biotechnological implications, and molecular perspectives. His PhD thesis resulted in eight first-authored papers in International Scientific Indexing (ISI) peer-reviewed journals (Taylor & Francis, Springer Nature, and Elsevier publishers). Over the years, he has developed experience in a wide range of skills and techniques, which include microbiological methods, molecular biology techniques (gene cloning, gene expression studies, and gene knockouts), genetic engineering, bioinformatics, and omics studies [-genomics, -proteomics (protein expression and purification), -transcriptomics]. This skill set makes him a very versatile researcher who can adapt to various research topics, especially those around biotechnology, metagenomics, metabolomics, molecular and synthetic biology, genetic engineering, bioprocess technology, and bioinformatics, with a particular speciality in developing greener technologies such as biosurfactants. He has conducted research projects in different capacities, funded by National Research Foundation of South Africa, North West University Postdoctoral Grant, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research/Technology Innovation Agency/Department of Science Innovation (CSIR/TIA/DSI South Africa), and the South African Water Research Commission. Additionally, he has tutored and lectured undergraduate students in the microbiology and biotechnology field. He has co-supervised students at both honours and postgraduate levels, and he is a dedicated scientific professional with memberships in various associations.

Prof. Oluwafemi Adebo is a Professor in the Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), in South Africa. He is the Director of the Centre for Innovative Food Research (CIFR), which is involved with the improvement of various traditional food processes, enhancing food-health-promoting constituents, developing nutrient-dense food products, and adding value to underutilized food sources using conventional, novel, and innovative approaches, including 3D food printing, all in an effort to ensure zero hunger as well as good health and well-being. He has contributed to over 130 journal articles, 28 book chapters, and is the lead editor of two books. He has received over 20 million South African rands in grant funding and won prestigious awards, including the 2019 Institute of Food Technologists Emerging Leader Award, the 2021 National Research Foundation Emerging Researcher of the Year, 2021 UJ’s Vice Chancellor’s Distinguished Award as an Outstanding Young Researcher, UJ’s Faculty of Science Top Research Award in 2021 and 2022, a 2023 Young Affiliate of The World Academy of Sciences and a Member of the South African Young Academy of Science. He has given several invited talks and keynote presentations and has a patent (registered in Kenya and South Africa). He was the immediate past Deputy Head of Department (Research), and as of July 2025, his Google Scholar and Scopus h-indices were 36 and 31, respectively. From the Scival Researchers ranking metrics in Food Science, he is ranked 1st in South Africa and 7th on the African continent. For three consecutive years (2022, 2023 and 2024), Prof. Adebo has been included in the Stanford University’s List of Top 2% Scientists Globally.