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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
environmental science
Cultural Values and the Coliform Bacterial Load of “Masato,” an Amazon Indigenous Beverage
EcoHealth, Volume 17, No. 3, Year 2020
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Description
Access to safe drinking water is limited in many isolated areas, such as the Amazon where Indigenous peoples frequently reside. Identifying safe forms of drinking water accepted by the communities could have positive health benefits for Indigenous peoples. Many Amazon Indigenous peoples traditionally prepare and consume a fermented beverage called masato, which is frequently the only form of water consumption. Despite its widespread consumption and evidence of the health benefits of fermentation, masato remains poorly investigated. We partnered with a Shawi Indigenous community in the Peruvian Amazon to conduct participatory photography to research masato preparation, and to characterize key cultural features and to assess the presence of total and fecal coliform bacteria by using a membrane filter technique. Pictures show that masato preparation is a key part of cultural practices and that there are clear gender roles in the preparation process. We found that 100% of communal water sources (26/26) were contaminated with coliform bacteria; by contrast, fewer, 18% of masato samples (2/11), were positive for coliform. This exploratory study suggests that fermented beverages like masato merit further investigation as they represent an Indigenous method to improve water quality in Amazonian communities where water safety cannot be assured. © 2020, The Author(s).
Authors & Co-Authors
Bussalleu Cavero, Alejandra
Peru, Lima
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
Ćarcamo, César Paul
Peru, Lima
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
Carrasco-Escobar, Gabriel
Peru, Lima
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
United States, La Jolla
University of California, San Diego
Zavaleta-Cortijo, Carol
Canada, Guelph
University of Guelph
Peru, Lima
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
Berrang-Ford, Lea
United Kingdom, Leeds
University of Leeds
Llanos-Cuentas, E. Alejandro
Peru, Lima
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia
García, Patricía Jannet
Unknown Affiliation
Harper, Sherilee L.
Unknown Affiliation
Edge, Victoria L.
Unknown Affiliation
Ford, James D.
Unknown Affiliation
Lwasa, Shuaib
Unknown Affiliation
Namanya, Didacus Bambaiha
Unknown Affiliation
Statistics
Citations: 5
Authors: 12
Affiliations: 5
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1007/s10393-020-01498-5
ISSN:
16129202
Research Areas
Environmental
Health System And Policy
Study Design
Exploratory Study