Fermented milk products of Ladakh

Abstract

<span style="font-size:9.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt" lang="EN-US">Ladakh, situated in the western Trans Himalaya, is a high altitude cold arid region of India. It is one of the remotest and least accessible regions in the world.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> </b>The area remains cut off from rest of the country for about five months in a year. Meagre precipitation and extremely low temperature during winter months results in a very short growing season. Limited availability of vegetables and fruits is a major concern for the general health of the local inhabitants. Thus, milk and fermented milk products are very crucial for nutritional security of the local people. Being pastoralist by tradition, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Ladahkis</i> have developed various methods of fermenting and preparing ethnic milk products. Milk of female yak and yak-cattle crossbreds (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">zho</i>) is the main substrate used for preparing fermented milk products. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Jho, tara, labo, chhurphe, maar </i>and<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> thuth</i> are the such important ethnic products relished by the local people. These products not only supplement their nutritional intake but also augment their income.

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