J. Gen. Appl. Microbiol., 57, 197‒206 (2011)

Sour congee, a traditional fermented cereal gruel, has been consumed for hundreds of years in the western regions of Inner Mongolia in China. The preparation procedure for sour congee could be generalized across different regions. Cereal grains, mainly millet and rice (sometimes blended with a little maize) are soaked with clean water in a pot at room temperature (about 25°C) for 3‒4 days. During fermentation, mixed fermentations including lactic acid fermentation take place, and the pH decreases as lactic acid and other organic acids accumulate due to microbial activities. Subsequently a part of the fermented product is added into the new soaked rice mixture as a starter for fermentation at room temperature until the mixture produces acid, and then the fermented mixture is boiled, the palatable and nutritional sour congee is fi nished and it can be consumed directly. Sour congee has an attractive taste and functional properties, and it can assist in digestion and cure intestinal disorders. The protein digestibility of cereals is lower than that of animals due to the presence of phytic acid, tannins, and polyphenols which bind to proJ. Gen. Appl. Microbiol., 57, 197‒206 (2011)