Effect of Co-Fermentation on Nutritional Composition, Anti-Nutritional Factors and Acceptability of Cookies from Fermented Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and Soybeans (Glycine max) Flour Blends

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.