LACTIC VEGETABLE AND FRUIT FERMENTATIONS LIL IS NURAI DA , J . DAV I D OW ENS, J U NA I DA H A BU BA KARANDKAPTIRAH AY U K US WA N TO

A wide variety of lactic acid bacteria fermented vegetables and fruits are prepared in Southeast Asian countries (see Chapter 1; Steinkraus 1996). While the available evidence suggests that the microbiology is, in general, similar to that of other fermented vegetables (Hutkins 2006), there has been little research on the Southeast Asian products. e three products described in this chapter, tempoyak (fermented durian fruit), growol (fermented cassava starch) and budu pakis (fermented fern fronds), are among the more interesting and distinctive fermented vegetable and fruit products of the region.