Title : Fermentation potentials of baobab Adansonia digitata pulp powder in yoghurt production
Abstract:
Baobab, Adansonia digitata of the genus Adansonia and Malvaceae, is a deciduous and most common tropical multipurpose valued fruit tree with many uses and nutritional benefits. As such, this study evaluated the effect of baobab-pulp powder on the quality and production of yoghurt. Baobab-pulp powder was used at 0.34%, 0.52%, 0.69%, and 0.85%, while control sample was yoghurt made from DVS starter culture. The proximate, physicochemical, microbial, and sensory properties of the samples were analysed using standard procedures. With the use of baobab-pulp powder as inoculum, moisture, crude protein and fat contents decreased, while fibre, ash and carbohydrate contents increased, with pH between 3.95 and 4.24. Also, titratable acidity increased (0.62-0.69); brix increased from 30.85-40.02; viscosity increased from 200.05-200.14, while total bacterial and fungi count ranged from 8.65×104 to 15.51×104 Cfu/ml and 1.12×104 to 4.54×104 Cfu/ml respectively. Significant difference was noticed in the over-all acceptability of samples; sample with 0.85% baobab-pulp powder, was the most preferred, followed by that with 0.69%, while the least accepted was control. This showed that milk inoculated with baobab-pulp powder had improved quality and acceptability. Use of baobab-pulp powder greatly improves taste and consistency, reduces pH and increased total titratable acidity leading to reduced microbial load. The use of baobab-pulp as inoculum confers longer shelf-life on the yoghurt.
