Zutho
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Zutho is a fermented drink, originating from Northeast India, obtained from rice. It is a drink of the Angami Nagas and is commonly consumed by all Naga tribes in the rural regions of Nagaland, India.
It contains approximately 5%(v/v) of ethanol, and is known for its fruity odor, which is partly imparted by the acetyl esters in generous amounts. Traditionally zutho is prepared by allowing starch-rich solutions to broken down by enzymes into sugars that are fermented by yeast. Starch in rice has to be made into malt by sprouting, or digested by enzymes that Nagas learned to grow in a separate process on a plant.
Notes and Sources
- Y. Teramoto, S. Yoshida and S. Ueda: of a rice beer (zutho) and a yeast isolated from the fermented product in Nagaland, India, World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, December 2002.