Effects of germination and fermentation on the quality characteristics of maize/mushroom based formulation.

Abstract

Maize grains were divided into four treatment groups, namely: germinated-fermented maize (GFM), germinated non-fermented maize (GNFNM), non-germinated fermented maize (NGFM) and non-germinated non-fermented maize (NGNM). Maize and mushroom (MR) based products (GFMR, GFNMR, NGFMR and NGNMR) from all four maize grains were formulated. Germination and fermentation were investigated as methods of improving the nutritional and organoleptic properties of the formulations. Inocula recycling (use of 50% fermenting mixture as starter)resulted in a pH reduction from 5.99 to 3.30 in non-germinated products and from 5.88 to 3.29 in germinated samples during fermentation. The increase in titratable acidity (expressed as g lactic acid/100g sample) from 0.14 to 0.17 in non-germinated products and from 0.14 to 0.18 in germinated samples was not significant (p< 0.05). The crude protein values ranged from 16.0g/100g for the NGFMR to 16.3g/100g forNGNFMR product. The GNFMR had the lowest carbohydrate content (60.8g/100g) while the GFMR had the highest value of 66.0g/100g. No significant difference (p< 0.05) was obtained in the variation of the ash content between 5.2g/100g for GFMR to 5.4g/100g for GNFMR and NGFMR had the highest energy value of 340KJ/100g while the NGNFMR had the lowest (336.8 KJ/100g). Germination resulted in a significant (p