EFFECTS OF FERMENTATION ON THE NUTRITIONAL QUALITIES OF MUNG BEANS (VIGNA RADIATA LINN) FORTIFIED GARI

Abstract

Malnutrition is a monster yet to be tamed in many countries especially in the sub- sahara African countries. The high level of poverty in this part of the world makes people settle for cheap food sources most of which lack essential nutrients needed for optimal body growth and functions. One of such foods is gari, a cassava based, fermented staple food widely consumed in sub-sahara African countries. The aim of this study was to produce a gari co-fermented with mungbeans flour, determine the effect on the nutritional composition, and determine the microorganisms involved in the fermentation process. Four gari samples were produced according to the method of James et al, 2012. A sample was made without mungbeans flour while the other three were produced by co-fermenting cassava mash with 5%, 10%, and 15% mungbeans flour. The microorganisms involved in the fermentation process were determined by culturing samples taken from the fermenting mash every 24 hours. The microorganisms isolated were identified using biochemical tests and molecular analysis. The resulting gari samples were analysed for their nutritional values and acceptability. The proximate analysis showed that there was significant increase in the level of protein in the fortified samples. The unfortified sample had 2.13% protein as against the 10.20%, 14.12%, and 19.33% in the 5%, 10%, and 15% mungbeans fortified gari respectively. The level of fats also increased from 0.95% in the unfortified sample to 1.81% (in 5% mungbeans), 1.91% (in 10% mungbeans), and 2.27% (in 15% mungbeans). There were also significant increase in the levels of the phosphorus, iron, magnesium and zinc in the fortified samples. In addition, the levels of the analysed vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, and D) also increased in the fortified samples. The hydrogen cyanide composition of all the samples, including the unfortified, was within the permissible level of 10mg HCN/kg. The microorganisms isolated during the fermentation process were Lysinibacillus alkalisoli, Proteus mirabilis, Pediococcus acidilactici, Lactobacillus plantarum, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Penicillium sclerotiorum, Diutina catenulate, Rhizopus stolonifer,Trichoderma viridae, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This study showed that the fortification of ‘gari’ with mung beans flour enhances the nutritional status of gari. This nutritional enhancement could be useful in solving the nutritional deficiency usually observed in unfortified gari.