What are the health benefits of dadiah?

What is dadiah?

Dadih, also spelled dadiah, is a traditional fermented buffalo milk from West Sumatra, Indonesia. About 150 mL of fresh buffalo milk is poured into a freshly cut section of bamboo and covered with banana leaf. It ferments naturally at room temperature, driven by microbes from the bamboo, the leaf and the milk, and forms a yellowish white, pudding-like curd that can be eaten directly.

Does dadiah have health benefits?

A published study found lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in dadih at a reported count of 44 x 10 to the 9th CFU/g (as printed in the paper). The lead isolate was closely related to Lactobacillus plantarum, and in the lab it:

• kept 65.98 percent viability at pH 3 and 54.90 percent in 0.3 percent bile salt (an acid and bile test used for probiotic candidates)
• produced zones of inhibition against E. coli O157, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria innocua in culture

These are in vitro results. The study did not test health effects in humans or animals, and the wider benefits listed in its introduction (cholesterol, immune and anti-obesity effects) come from other studies and were not tested there. So the honest answer is that benefits are possible but unproven.

What are the safety points?

• Traditional dadiah is made from fresh buffalo milk that is not heated first, with no added culture, according to the papers we opened. Unheated milk can carry harmful bacteria, so pregnant women, children, older adults and people with weak immunity should be careful.
• Production is traditional and not standardized, so the microbes and quality can vary between batches.

What can you say for sure?

As a fermented milk, dadiah supplies milk nutrients; the study gives no nutrient table, so we give no numbers. It still contains milk protein, so it is not for milk allergy.

Where is it eaten?

It is a popular traditional food in several West Sumatran areas including Bukittinggi, Padang Panjang, Solok, Limapuluh Kota and Tanah Datar. It is served at weddings and when the honorary title Datuk is conferred.