TSOUMOU Kédar^{1, 2}, ELENGA Michel^{3, 4,}, MIKOLO Bertin¹

In Congo-Brazzaville, bread is part of the basic diet. The documentation and/or knowledge of artisanal bread-making practices is lacking. This study provides a first characterization of the practices in four departments: Bouenza, Cuvette, Lekoumou and Plateaux. A survey conducted among 101 bakers using a structured questionnaire and semi-structured interviews allowed the data to be collected. The data analysis carried out using the software Epi-info, Minitab (ANOVA), and XLSTAT (AFC) gives results that stipulate the preponderance of simple traditional bread at 95.05%, mostly coming from industrialized flour. The bread 'Kidiatulu or boma ngaï' is the most common.The differences between regions were mainly in the amount of ingredients and substances added, as well as the technique of kneading, fermentation and cooking. Significant differences p < 0.05 were highlighted for the amount of salt (p = 0.033), yeast (p = 0.011), kneading time (p = 0.010), and cooking duration (p = 0.039). The vast majority of production is carried out by men who have little or no formal vocational training. Although 62.38% of bakers produce every day, the processes remain poorly standardized. Marked regional differences influence the texture, preservation and sensory quality of bread. These results highlight the need for appropriate technical training and research into process standardization in order to improve the quality and sustainability of artisanal bread production.

characterization, artisanal practices, bread-making, local bread, artisanal bakery, bread production, Congo-Brazzaville