Carried out in partnership with local stakeholders in the cassava production chain in the state of Pará, the project emerges in a context of growing appreciation for biodiversity and the need for sustainable solutions to support regional development. This collaboration enables sample collection under real conditions and fosters knowledge exchange between researchers and producers.
Tucupi, a fermented product derived from manioc, is widely consumed in the Amazon and has great cultural and economic value. However, the lack of standardization and rigorous control over fermentation processes can compromise food quality and safety. The project seeks to fill this gap by applying integrated laboratory approaches, such as metabarcoding and metaproteomics, which enable not only the identification of microorganisms present, but also an understanding of their active metabolic functions throughout fermentation. This approach is especially relevant for differentiating the characteristics of traditional tucupi and black tucupi, obtained through thermal reduction.