Thailand | The Microbiota Vault

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Deposits and Resources

The Microbiota Vault is a global non-profit initiative
to conserve long-term health for humanity.

Thailand

This Fermented Food Samples Collection was established at the Institute of Nutrition at Mahidol University in Thailand. It currently comprises 55 Thai fermented food samples, representing a wide variety of traditional products that reflect the country’s rich and diverse fermentation heritage.

The Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, houses a developing collection of local fermented food samples that showcase Thailand’s rich and diverse heritage of traditional fermentation. The collection currently includes a growing number of fermented products made from meats, fish, vegetables, cereals, and legumes, collected from various regions across the country. Each sample is systematically documented and preserved under controlled conditions to facilitate detailed microbiological and chemical characterization.

This collection forms an integral part of the Microbiota Vault Initiative and the MU–ETH Fermented Food and Human Microbiome Joint Research Unit, which aims to safeguard microbial diversity and advance scientific understanding of the links between fermented foods, the gut microbiome, and human health. Through this collaboration, microbial strains and communities isolated from traditional Thai fermented foods are being catalogued and conserved as valuable biological resources, contributing to global efforts to preserve microbial biodiversity as an essential component of food security, cultural heritage, and public health.

Although the current collection remains modest in size, it is steadily expanding. Future plans include increasing the number and diversity of samples collected from across Thailand and extending the scope to include representative fermented foods from other Southeast Asian countries. These efforts will foster regional collaboration and deepen understanding of the microbial diversity and functional potential of fermented foods within the broader Southeast Asian context.

The Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University is located in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.

Traditional Thai sausage is a fermented meat product widely consumed in the Northeastern region of Thailand. It is typically made from pork, garlic, cooked rice, and seasonings, which are mixed and allowed to ferment, giving the sausage its characteristic tangy flavor and aroma.

Thailand offers a diverse range of fermented fish products that reflect regional traditions and local ingredients. These products are typically made by combining fish with salt, and sometimes rice or other carbohydrate sources, allowing naturally occurring microbes to ferment the mixture over several days to months.

Plant-based fermented foods are also common in Thailand. Typical examples include Thai pickles, fermented soybeans, and sour bamboo shoots. In preparation, vegetables or legumes are usually salted or mixed with rice or other carbohydrate sources to encourage natural fermentation, which is primarily driven by lactic acid bacteria.

Local markets throughout Thailand are common places to buy fermented foods.