Pot en Ciel Kreol is an artisanal cannery based on France's Réunion Island. Combining local agriculture with the ancient technique of lacto-fermentation, the company aims to preserve the island's rich biodiversity and promote better health for its inhabitants.
Sylviane Boyer founded Pot en Ciel Kreol in 2023, in Cambaie in the north of Réunion, a French department in the Indian Ocean. She had taken over her family farm, which grew numerous vegetables native to the island.
"On Réunion Island, we have exotic vegetables, which have lots of antioxidants. We're protected here on this little volcanic island, in terms of all the produce we have," Boyer told RFI. "There are vegetables that can't be found in mainland France... papaya, chayote, watercress that grow in our mountains. And chillies."
Over the years, Boyer began to notice a rise in cases of diabetes, Crohn's disease and high cholesterol. It was at this point that she became interested in micronutrition - the practice of optimising the diet to include vitamins and minerals the body needs - and discovered lacto-fermentation.
"We have lots of health problems because we eat too much fat and sugar. This led me to study lacto-fermentation a bit and I found that, scientifically speaking, a lot has been proven about it, which brought me back to it."
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This technique is very common in several Africa countries, where access to electricity can be limited, making food preservation a challenge.
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"In Africa, babies' first meals are made using lacto-fermentation. It's a natural process to follow," says Boyer.
This ancient food preservation technique involves immersing food in salted water to encourage the growth of lactic acid bacteria.
"We use large vats where we put local fruits and vegetables from Réunion, along with water and natural, unrefined salt from Saint Leu. This process helps us pre-digest the food and release its full bioavailability," explains Mégane Mardemoutou, sales manager at Pot en Ciel Kreol.
"This process develops probiotics and prebiotics, multiplies vitamin C, vitamin K - which is very important for the heart - and various B vitamins like B2 and B6."
One local vegetable the company works with is bitter melon. "It's a fruit that grows on vines, somewhat like cucumbers. It's an old local vegetable with a thousand benefits because it aids detoxification, improves heart circulation and provides all the essential vitamins we need," says Mardemoutou.
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The company is now working with hospitals, the Regional Health Agency and local organisations to spread awareness of the health benefits of lacto-fermentation.
