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Reid. Microbiome Res Rep 2024;3:10 Microbiome Research
DOI: 10.20517/mrr.2023.46
Reports

Commentary Open Access

A value chain to improve human, animal and insect
health in developing countries

Gregor Reid 1,2
1
Canadian R&D Centre for Human Microbiome and Probiotics, Lawson Health Research Institute, London N6A 4V2, Ontario,
Canada.
2
Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, and Surgery, Western University, London N6A 4V2, Ontario, Canada.
Correspondence to: Prof. Gregor Reid, Canadian R&D Centre for Human Microbiome and Probiotics, Lawson Health Research
Institute, 268 Grosvenor Street, London, Ontario N6A 4V2, Canada. E-mail: gregor@uwo.ca

How to cite this article: Reid G. A value chain to improve human, animal and insect health in developing countries. Microbiome
Res Rep 2024;3:10. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/mrr.2023.46

Received: 24 Jul 2023 First Decision: 15 Nov 2023 Revised: 30 Nov 2023 Accepted: 4 Dec 2023 Published: 8 Dec 2023
Academic Editor: Marco Ventura Copy Editor: Dong-Li Li Production Editor: Dong-Li Li

Keywords: Fermentation, new value chain, arthropods, probiotics, humans, animals, developing countries

INTRODUCTION
In Mwanza, Tanzania, a group of women produce Fiti yoghurt containing the probiotic Lactobacillus
rhamnosus GR-1. A single 1-gram sachet with this strain and Streptococcus thermophilus, costing $0.50, can
produce 100 litres of yoghurt (termed Fiti), millet, or fruit juice .
[1-3]

This alone represents twenty years of work, an enormous time commitment of Canadian and other
countries’ university students, the leadership and dedication of local women and their communities, and
consumers who enjoy the products and perceive the health benefits. A value chain has been created
involving people of all ages, genders, religions, and color. It includes beehives, purchasing and raising of
cows, collection and delivery of milk, millet and fruit, and production, packaging, storage and delivery of
end-products. The chain reaches individuals, families, schools, orphanages, and people living on the
margins or with health issues not managed by a fragile healthcare system. All from an almost forgotten
ancient pastime of fermentation, a process that preserves the food from spoilage and increases nutritional
value. The rejuvenated global interest in fermented foods, based on scientific research and clinical evidence,
augurs well for these types of initiatives in developing countries .
[4]

© The Author(s) 2023. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, sharing,
adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as
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