THE ETHNOBIOLOGY OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE PRODUCTION BY THE LACANDON, TARAHUMARA, AND OTHER ABORIGINAL MESOAMERICAN PEOPLES

This research focused on biological aspects of the alcohol fermentation process of Mesoamerican aboriginal peoples, in particular the Lacandon Maya of Chiapas, Mexico, and the Tarahumara of Chihuahua, Mexico.;Standard laboratory methods were adapted for field use. Measurements were made of in-situ fermentation events, and isolates of the fermenting organisms were obtained for identification and laboratory testing. Comparisons were made between in-situ events and laboratory fermentations using the same organisms.;Results show the Lacandon and Tarahumara fermentation systems function with a diversity of microorganisms present, but these are kept in low number and were not found to alter the fermenting microorganism population growth or alcohol yield of what are otherwise typical batch fermentations.;Success of the aboriginal Mesoamerican fermentation system is dependent on having a large inoculum of fermenting microorganism cells present at the onset. This offsets competition from the other microorganisms present. The use of plant additives was found to be important as a means of setting up selective conditions against undesired microorganisms. For the Lacandon and Tarahumara primary plant additives also provide a means of introducing fermenting microorganisms. There are also fermenting microorganism populations associated with the aboriginal fermentation containers and on implements used in the process. The relative importance of each inoculum source varies, but in all cases the populations are maintained by humans in habitats within the fermentation system itself.;The objectives of the research were to: (1) provide a description of the aboriginal process useful for biological interpretation; (2) describe the nature of the fermentation event in terms of onset conditions, fermentation kinetics, and product characteristics; (3) investigate how desired fermenting microorganisms are maintained over time, how undesirable organisms are kept in check, and how the inoculum is made ready for the fermentation; (4) investigate the role of plant additives which Mesoamerican peoples use extensively in their fermentation process.