Ancestral fermented indigenous beverages from South America made from cassava (Manihot esculenta)

Fermented indigenous foods are of global interest, in the case of South America, fermented beverages made from cassava (Manihot esculenta) are a vital component in the daily life and diet of indigenous groups. Traditional fermentation methods promote the microbiota of beverages and consequently the generation of secondary metabolites during the spontaneous fermentation process. In addition, they improve nutritional value, ensure microbiological stability, promote flavor and aroma formation (flavor) and degrade cassava’s own cyanogenic compounds. The objective of this review article is to describe the methods of artisan elaboration, the role of microorganisms on the chemical parameters of the substrates of indigenous beverages and their significance as a potential source of probiotics. The fermented cassava-based beverages studied were chicha, calugi, yakupa, caxiri, cauim, tarubá, y parakari, from Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and Guyana. A specific search was carried out in the main scientific databases using the key words: chicha, cassava, fermented beverages, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru. Articles in English and Spanish were chosen from the last 7 years to the present. It is recommended to study these beverages in depth for subsequent research and development of industrialization processes, and thus rescuing the ancestral traditions of native indigenous groups.