EVALUATION OF YANYANKU PROCESSING, AN ADDITIVE USED AS STARTER CULTURE TO PRODUCE FERMENTED FOOD CONDIMENTS IN BENIN

摘要

Yanyanku is an additive produced by natural fermentation of Hibiscus sabdariffa beans. Three variants of yanyanku processing have been identified: the Yanyanku var. 1 (pH = 9.95 ± 0.06) involved adding of potash to the beans before cooking, two steps of 72 h and 24 h of fermentation and one step of sun drying; the Yanyanku var. 2 (pH = 8.23 ± 0.04) required adding of ash solution after cooking the beans, one step of 72 h of fermentation, and two steps of pounding and sun drying; the Yanyanku var. 3 (pH = 10.14 ± 0.02) involved adding of potash before cooking the beans and one step of 7 days of fermentation. Bacillus spores dominated in the three variants. Spore concentrations (log10cfu/g) were 8.95, 8.22 and 9.55 in Yanyanku var. 1, Yanyanku var. 2 and Yanyanku var. 3, respectively. Lipid, protein and carbohydrate contents decreased particularly in Yanyanku var. 1 and Yanyanku var. 3.