Latin American indigenous tribes used the fermentation processes as means of foodprocessing and preservation. In the Andean regions of Latin America where the Incaempire had its civilization, the production of beverages was among the major practices that involved a natural fermentation processes. For the Inca?s population, theproduction of alcoholic beverages was important because they played an essentialrole in their spiritual beliefs., These drinks were considered to have a high symbolism because of the Incan cosmovision. The present chapter describes the traditional fermented beverages of pre-Columbian cultures of the Andean region ofSouth America. Spontaneous fermentation processes were used as a way of alcohol production by using native (in pre-Colombian time) and Old World crops (inpost-Colombian time). By allowing an aqueous mixture of fruits or vegetables toferment, a great variety of alcoholic beverages with a low to a moderate alcoholiccontent (2?12%) were obtained. Such substrates are rich in fermentable sugars and/or polysaccharides. In some cases preliminary steps such as chewing, germination or roasting were carried out to allow the process to easily occur and also toobtain assorted drinks. This chapter elaborates on the raw materials used, including:Manioc or Çassava, Banana, Sugar Cane, Sweet Potato, Rice, Cacao, Carob Beans,Maize and others. Maize production was of great importance, and for this reason,food crop also became an ingredient beverage manufacturing and this elaborationmethod was spread along the entire Andean region. Thus the most important andwell known drink in this region was a Maize beer or maize-based beverage, calledchicha. In Andean Latin America all chicha-like beverages with similar productionmethodology were called chicha as well. Nowadays many of these beverages arestill being artisanally produced and consumed although they may have undergonechanges in their composition and chemical characteristics due to the incorporation ofnew raw materials and elaboration methodologies. The main objective of this chapteris to introduce an improved knowledge of these traditional Andean fermented beverages, highlighting those coming from the Northwest region of Argentina. A revision of the processes involved in their manufacture will be useful in understanding biochemical changes associated to the action of native microorganisms on raw materials. Traditional and new technological procedures involved in their manufactureare discussed. By increasing and updating the available knowledge from a technicaland scientifi point of view it is expected to make a helpful contribution for thosewho are interested in traditional fermented foods.

Fil: Jimenez, Maria Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Jujuy. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Jujuy; Argentina

Fil: Samman, Norma Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Jujuy. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Jujuy; Argentina

Fil: Rueda, Julio Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Jujuy. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Jujuy; Argentina

Fil: Lobo, Manuel Oscar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Jujuy. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia de Jujuy; Argentina