A typical West African menu is not complete without a fermented food or drink, which are foods transformed by natural processes involving ‘friendly’ micro-organisms such as bacteria or yeast. These break down the sugars and other substances in the food, changing its taste and texture, and sometimes even preserving the food.
Some examples of fermented foods from the region are those made from African locust beans, such as (Nigeria), (Ghana), (Senegal) and (Benin). Other products include (Nigeria), and Burkina and .