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Fermentation Atlas

Fermented milk from Chad

Raïb / rayeb (Chad sour milk) with gibde butter and rouaba buttermilkraïb

sour milk (raïb), its buttermilk (rouaba) and unwashed butter (gibde). Made in 3 steps over 22 days – 31 days. The longest step, collect gibde with a dipper; store, takes 21–30 days (FAO 1990). Lactic bacteria does most of the fermenting.

Key numbers
Main step21–30 daysReported[fao-tmp-ii][fao-tmp-iii][koussou2007]Collect gibde with a dipper; store
Temperature43–45 °CReported[fao-tmp-ii][fao-tmp-iii][koussou2007]Mature milk in a clean closed container
AciditypH 5.6–5.9Reported[fao-tmp-ii][fao-tmp-iii][koussou2007]Mature milk in a clean closed container
DocumentedFermented milk22 days – 31 daysMore fermented milkMore from Africa

Recipe

No fixed amounts recordedWhat goes in. No source gives amounts for this ferment.
cow milk (also sheep or goat)
boiled or not
Starter: spontaneous or backslop (2–3 % previous sour milk)

Total time across the recorded steps: 22 days – 31 days

Start
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Milk proteinGel (curd)43–45 °CpH 5.6–5.9shapes, not to countLactic acid bacteria

What changes: The milk sours in a clean closed container in 24 hours

Step 1 of 3
Mature milk in a clean closed container
Time
24 h
Reported
Temperature
43–45 °C
Reported
Salt
None given
Acidity
pH 5.6–5.9
Reported
Which microbes the steps name, step by step
Lactic acid bacteria

Output: raïb (sour milk).

Flavour
sour; rouaba has a yeasty aroma
Texture
coagulated
Colour
Not documented

Microbes at work in this step

natural milk flora, or 2–3 % previous sour milk as starter

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

  • Rayeb sucré (N'Djamena milk bars)Boiled "bush milk" is sweetened and fermented naturally at ambient temperature in containers, then sold chilled. It became popular from the 1990s.
  • Rouaba as a porridge drinkMeiji's yogurt library reports rouaba mixed with wheat porridge (reported).

Safety

Koussou et al. (2007) found high total and faecal coliforms in N'Djamena milk-bar rayeb, especially in the cold dry season, which suggests weak acidification and poor hygiene.

Hazards the sources name: Coliforms in commercial rayeb.

History and sources

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

N'Djamena's local-milk chain grew from the 1990s with small dairies and the success of rayeb (Koussou 2007).

  1. [fao-tmp-ii] FAO 1990, The technology of traditional milk products in developing countries, section II "Acidified milks", group 1.2 (roab/rouabagov
  2. [fao-tmp-iii] FAO 1990, The technology of traditional milk products in developing countries, section III "Butter and milk-fat products", 3.2 Gibdegov
  3. [koussou2007] Koussou M.O., Grimaud P., Mopaté L.Y. 2007, Évaluation de la qualité physico-chimique et hygiénique du lait de brousse et des produits laitiers locaux commercialisés dans les bars laitiers de N'Djamena, Rev. Élev. Méd. vét. Pays trop. 60(1-4):45–49web
  4. [meiji] Meiji Yogurt Library, Africa (rouaba; via search)web