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Kinema is a fermented soya bean originally from Nepal and North-eastern India, primarily dominated by Bacillus spp., resulting in alkalinity and desirable stickiness.
Kinema is a functional food with health-promoting benefits such as antioxidants, digested protein, essential amino acids, vitamin B complex, and low-cholesterol content. It is the cheapest source of plant protein compared to milk and animal products. Kinema fermentation increases total amino acids, free amino acids, mineral contents, phytosterols, riboflavin, and niacin, while also providing antioxidant activities and a large amount of Group B saponins.
Kinema is a traditional fermented soybean food produced in India. Small, yellow cultivar soybean seeds are soaked overnight, boiled and cooked thereafter placed in a wooden mortar known as the "okhli" then cracked using a wooden pestle called "muslo" to split the cotyledons and mixed with firewood ash to maintain alkaline conditions.
Traditional kinema has a neutral to alkaline pH, a sticky consistency, and a strong ammonia odor. The seeds are placed in a bamboo basket lined with fresh fern called (Glaphylopteriolopsis erubescens), a practice unique to kinema production. This practice increases surface area for faster fermentation by Bacillus spp. The combination of porous fern fronds and bean bulk dimensions are important for maintaining optimal aerobic conditions during fermentation.
B. subtilis is the most common functioning bacterium in kinema. However, several other Bacillus species have been identified in kinema, including Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus circulans, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Bacillus sphaericus, with an average load of 108 colony-forming units. Traditional kinema has a neutral to alkaline pH, a sticky consistency, and a strong ammonia odor.
Kinema is eaten in curry with rice. Fresh kinema is fried in vegetable oil with sliced onions, tomatoes, and turmeric powder. Salt and sliced green chilies are added and fried. A little water is added to make a thick gravy which is cooked then the kinema curry is ready for serving with steamed rice. Sometimes dried kinema is mixed with leafy vegetables to make a mixed curry. Consumers like kinema mostly because of its typical flavor and sticky texture.
This species has been linked to foodborne disease outbreaks from warmed foods, including ropy bread. We believe that frying kinema curry in oil produces a safe product, as there have been no reported illnesses related with its consumption. The survival or proliferation of microbial food contaminants can be influenced by factors such as water activity, solute levels, pH, acids, and ammonia.
