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Fermentation Atlas

Meat from Thailand, Laos

Naemแหนม

Sour raw pork; keeps 1-2 weeks (JIRCAS). Made in 3 steps over 3 days – 5 days. The longest step, ferment, takes 3–5 days (JIRCAS 1995). Salt is 2–3 % (JIRCAS 1995). Lactic acid bacteria and Yeasts do most of the fermenting.

Key numbers
Main step3–5 daysReported[jircas-naem][s1]Ferment
Salt2–3 %Reported[jircas-naem]Mix pork, skin, rice and seasoning
AciditypH 4.5TypicalFerment
DocumentedMeat3 days – 5 daysMore meatMore from ThailandMore from Laos

Recipe

Amounts from a sourceProportions from the JIRCAS Thai fermented-food database, as shares of the minced pork mix.
Minced raw pork · The base of the mix[jircas-naem]
20-30% of the minced meatPork rind · Boiled and sliced[jircas-naem]
7-10% (7-8% for short ferments)Cooked glutinous rice · Sugar source for the lactic bacteria[jircas-naem]
2-3% of the mixSalt · Below 2% it spoils; above 3% it is too salty[jircas-naem]
0-0.05%Pepper[jircas-naem]
0-200 ppmPotassium nitrate[jircas-naem]
Garlic and chilli · To taste[s1]
Starterspontaneous (Lactobacillus curvatus starter studied)

Total time across the recorded steps: 3 days – 5 days

Start
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Salt 2–3 %

What changes: Minced pork, rind, sticky rice and seasoning are mixed

Step 1 of 3
Mix pork, skin, rice and seasoning
Time
Not documented
Temperature
Not documented
Salt
2–3 %
Reported
Acidity
Not documented
Which microbes the steps name, step by step
Lactic acid bacteria
Yeasts
Flavour
Not documented
Texture
Not documented
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

Not documented for this step.

Method

Measured measured in a studySet fixed by a specification or tested recipeReported one source reports itTypical a general value, not sourced for this fermentUnconfirmed not yet checked against a source

Variants

  • Naem mo (northern Thailand)fermented in a clay pot.
  • Som moo (Laos)shredded pork skin, garlic, chilli.
  • Regional tastenorthern and north-eastern slightly sour; central sour; southern spicy.

Safety

parasites and enteric bacteria found in some samples; some naem is irradiated; Thai rules set pathogen limits.

History and sources

Every number is labelled with how it is known. How this atlas is made

  1. [s1] Wikipedia, Naem (food), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naem_(food)wiki
  2. [jircas-naem] JIRCAS, Database of Fermented Foods of Thailand: Naem (after The Traditional Fermented Foods of Thailand, 1995)gov