88D-22 |
Feasibility of the use of starter cultures in the production of soydawadawa |
E. O. SAKYI-DAWSON, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Ghana, P. O. Box LG134, Legon, Ghana, N. N. Nartey, and W. K. Amoa-Awuah, Food Research Institute, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, P. O. Box M20, Accra, Ghana. Dawadawa is a food condiment produced by the spontaneous alkaline fermentation of the seeds of the African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) or soybeans (Glycine max). It is commonly utilized in West Africa for flavoring soups and stews. Dawadawa contributes significantly to the intake of protein, essential fatty acids and B-group vitamins and is a good source of lysine, which is limiting in cereal foods. Making available hygienically processed dawadawa of consistently high quality will encourage its use. Use of starter cultures is one way of achieving this. The objective was to identify and select microorganisms for use in a starter culture for the production of soydawadawa of good consistent quality. Forty-one Bacillus cultures, which had been isolated from spontaneously fermented soydawadawa, were screened for their proteolytic and amylolytic activities as well as for their ability to grow on soy agar. Twelve isolates that showed high proteolytic activity, amylolytic activity, rapid increase in pH, good growth on soybean agar and fast growth when inoculated in sterile soybeans were selected for development into starter cultures. From the initial twelve isolates used to prepare soydawadawa, four Bacillus subtilis isolates were selected based on the results of preliminary sensory analysis. These were then used to produce soydawadawa (S1, S2, S3 and S4) for further chemical and sensory studies. Differences in proteinase and amylase activities of S1, S2, S3 S4 and spontaneously fermented beans (SPT) were not statistically significant. Total free aminoacid content was highest in the soydawadawa produced with starter cultures. Based on texture, colour and aroma, overall preference was in the order SPT>S1>S4>S3>S2. There were no significant differences in the preference for the flavor of soups flavored with SPT, S1 and S4. The preference for the taste was in the order S1>SPT>S4. Soydawadawa of acceptable sensory characteristics can be produced using starter cultures.
Session 88D, Food Microbiology: General
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