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Fermented Locust Beans

Fermented locust beans are pungent fermented legume seeds used as a seasoning in soups, stews, and sauces.

Fermented Locust Beans — illustrative ingredient image

About Fermented Locust Beans

Fermented locust beans are the cooked and fermented seeds of the African locust bean tree, used as a strongly flavoured seasoning. They are incorporated into soups, stews, sauces, and vegetable dishes, where small amounts provide a characteristic fermented taste.

The aroma is pungent and distinctly savoury. The seeds may remain separate, become crumbly when dried, or be compressed into moist pieces or a paste; final texture and intensity depend on seed preparation, fermentation, drying, storage, and any added ingredients.

They are commonly dark brown or black and may be sold loose, dried, moulded, or ground. Preparation changes the seed product from separate pieces to dried crumbs, compressed portions, or a paste-like seasoning.

Ingredient type
derived ingredient

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Where fermented locust beans appears

1 linked foods

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Main dishes

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for fermented locust beans

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Fermented Locust Beans

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Fermented Locust Beans nutrition & diet

Fermented Locust Beans nutritional value

African locust bean, fermented (soumbala) — WAFCT 03_042

Per 100 g of the edible portion in the named food form.

Calories
375kcal
Protein
33.1g
Carbs
18.4g
Fat
15.6g

Per 100 g edible portion. Source: Vincent et al., FAO/INFOODS Food Composition Table for Western Africa (2019). Carbohydrate is available carbohydrate calculated by difference; square-bracketed fat in the source uses continuous-extraction analysis. Values describe this reference form, not every recipe, cultivar or preparation.

Portions & preparation

Confirm which regional ingredient is meant by “locust beans,” since the name can describe different plant materials. For a fermented legume product, identify whole or ground seeds, drying, salt, and cooking. Match the reference to the actual edible portion and recipe rather than treating all locust-bean products as equivalent.

Compare the right form: Establish whether these are fermented legume seeds or another regional product, then match species, whole or ground form, and preparation.

Diet considerations

A fermented legume-seed interpretation is plant-derived, but the common name is not sufficiently specific by itself. Fish, shrimp, meat, dairy, animal fat, wheat, or other cereal additions can change compatibility. Seasoning use differs from eating the beans in quantity, with preparation and portion shaping the carbohydrate pattern.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: FAO/INFOODS Food Composition Table for Western Africa (2019) — 03_042 ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .