Abstract:
This study evaluated the effect of co-fermentation on nutritional composition, anti-nutritional factors, and acceptability cookies from fermented sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and soybean (Glycine max) flour blends. White sorghum and yellow soy-beans were soaked and fermented separately for 24 h,
48 h, and 72 h respectively at 27 ± 2°C with 0 h as control.
Fermented sorghum and soy-beans were oven-dried at 60°C
for 8 h, milled and sieved and then used for the production of
cookies. Cookie samples produced from different flour blends
were evaluated for nutritional (proximate and vitamins profile
analyses), anti-nutritional (phytate, tannin and trypsin inhibitor
activity) qualities, and sensory evaluation. Results showed that
the moisture contents in percent of the cookies ranged from
9.65 ± 0.21–8.34 ± 0.16 for 0 h, 10.59 ± 0.22–10.21 ± 0.21 for
24 h, 10.46 ± 0.22–10.13 ± 0.21 for 48 h, and 10.28 ± 0.21–
9.41 ± 0.19 for 72 h, respectively. The protein contents in %
ranged from 10.98 ± 0.26–18.72 ± 0.32 for 0 h, 11.26 ± 0.26–
20.42 ± 0.32 for 24 h, 12.01 ± 0.26–21.48 ± 0.32 for 48 h, and
12.41 ± 0.26–21.49 ± 0.32 for 72 h, respectively, while the fat
contents in percent ranged from 9.73 ± 0.21–11.51 ± 0.24 for
0 h, 8.84 ± 0.16–11.42 ± 0.24 for 24 h, 8.69 ± 0.16–10.56 ± 0.22
for 48 h, and 8.31 ± 0.16–10.11 ± 0.22 for 72 h, respectively. In
conclusion, fermentation of sorghum and soybeans through
microbial activity led to the hydrolysis and the reduction of
anti-nutritional factors, it also improves the nutritional composition of cookies from fermented sorghum and soybean flour
blends, as there was an increase in protein and vitamin contents of cookies. Therefore, cookies from fermented sorghum and soybeans flour could be used as a remedy to solve the
menace of protein-energy malnutrition in developing
countries.
