Effect of fermentation and malting on some cereal weaning foods enriched with African locust
beans were carried out. Cereals (wheat and millet) were malted for the period of 144 hours and further fermented for 48
hours by natural fermentation. The millet, wheat and locust bean flours were mixed together in the ratio 70:70:40 (w/w)
to produce fortified fermented-malted food .The same ratio were used in the formulation of unmalted /unfermented food
and fortified products. Microbial analysis of the prepared foods were carried out using pour plate method.
Physicochemical, proximate analysis were carried out using standard procedures. Nine (9) points hedonic scale were
used for the sensory evaluation on the products .Bacteria such as
Lactobacillus
sp,
Bacillus
sp,
Clostridium
sp,
Leuconostoc
sp,
Staphylococcus
sp,
Streptococcus
sp,
E.coli
,
Salmonella
sp and fungal isolates include
Aspergillu s
sp,
Saccharomyces sp,
Candida
sp,
Penicillium
sp,
Mucor
and
Rhizopus
sp were isolated from the fermented grains.
Staphylococcus sp,
E.coli,
Salmonella sp and some Moulds were isolated after 24 hours of fermentation and malting of
the grains. The pH of 3.89 in millet and 4.04 in wheat were observed during malting and fermentation processes. Total
titratable acidity (TTA) of malted/fermented millet was 2.46% and wheat had 2.31% TTA. Percentage crude protein
increased from 3.33% in malted/fermented blend (sample A) to 6.3% while unmalted/unfermented (sample B) and
fortified product (sample C) had decrease in % crude protein. Percentage fat content decreased from 6.17% in sample A
to 5.9%. The % crude carbohydrate content decrease from 80.43 in sample A to 80.15 but higher values were obtained
in sample B with sample C having 80.35%.Percentage moisture and ash content decreased after malting and
fermentation in sample A and B except in sample C. The mean scores of sensory evaluation revealed that the formulated
malted/fermented and fortified foods were liked very much compared to the unmalted/unfermented foods which are
moderately and slightly liked.