Chicha de Jora: A Traditional Andean Fermented Beverage as a Complex Cereal Fermentation System

Fermented alcoholic beverages represent some of humanity's oldest biotechnological achievements, enabling early civilizations to produce safe and stimulating products from raw agricultural materials. Among these, chicha de jora stands as one of the most emblematic traditional beverages of the Andean world, produced through maize (Zea mays) germination, followed by cooking and spontaneous fermentation, yielding a beverage traditionally associated with nutritional, functional, and recreational attributes. These characteristics conferred profound cultural and ceremonial significance within Pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, particularly under the Inca Empire-Tawantinsuyu-in ancient Peru. To date, chicha de jora remains an integral component of Peruvian gastronomic heritage; however, its production continues to rely predominantly on artisanal methods, limiting its standardization and scientific characterization. The present review synthesizes principal scientific investigations on chicha de jora across four dimensions. First, raw material variability is examined, encompassing native Peruvian maize landraces alongside adjuncts, pseudocereals, fruits, spices, and added sugars responsible for regional variants. Second, key processing stages are compared between traditional artisanal practices and emerging industrialization approaches, highlighting critical process variables. Third, the principal microorganisms involved, including lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and acetic acid bacteria, are discussed in relation to spontaneous and controlled fermentation systems. Finally, bioactive metabolites and compounds reported across the compiled literature are reviewed, including those associated with the beverages' purported health benefits. Collectively, this review provides a comprehensive and integrated scientific perspective on chicha de jora by compiling multiple related attributes within a single review framework, thereby contributing to the standardization, valorization, and global recognition of this invaluable Andean ancestral beverage.