Rice-Based Alcoholic Fermented Beverages of Arunachal Pradesh: Understanding the Ethnicity, Microbial Intervention, Ethnobotany, Health Benefits and Socioeconomic Prospects

Abstract

Arunachal Pradesh has a rich and diverse food culture that includes both fermented and non-fermented ethnic foods and rice-based alcoholic beverages. Most alcoholic beverages are rice-based with an important proportion of different plants and fruits as the raw material, making a beverage more unique in taste. The plants used in starter culture have various health benefits as well as healing properties. These traditional practices of different tribes could have economic value for commercialization, which, in turn, could encourage the local rural economy. Although many researchers have documented the preparation methods, medicinal and socioeconomic aspects of the various plants used in starter cultures, limited work has been carried out with microbial interventions, nutritional analysis, and health benefits. This review was conducted to find insights into ethnic preparation, microbial interventions, ethnobotany, therapeutic properties, and nutritional aspects of some of the popular rice-based alcoholic beverages of Arunachal Pradesh. The presence of medicinal plants in the starter cake plays a significant role. Additionally, several functional microorganisms, such as Lactobacillus and yeast strains, improve the therapeutic potential of alcoholic beverages. A detailed scientific approach is required to maintain the desired product quality of the beverages for the development of rural economic potential in Arunachal Pradesh.