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

• Published in: Journal of food processing and preservation 2011-12, Vol.35 (6), p.813-821
• Main Authors: AZOKPOTA, PAULIN, HOUNDENOUKON, MÉLAINE S.E., HOUNHOUIGAN, JOSEPH D., NAGO, MATHURIN C., JAKOBSEN, MOGENS
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacillus; Hibiscus; Parkia biglobosa
• ISSN: 0145-8892; 1745-4549
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-4549.2011.00534.x

ABSTRACT 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. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Yanyanku is used as inoculum enrichment or a starter culture‐like additive for the fermentation of African locust bean seeds (Parkia biglobosa) to produce sonru, which is one of the most important food condiments consumed by the rural poor as well as high‐income urban families in Benin. The production of sonru has increased significantly in recent years, requiring an increase in the daily production of yanyanku, which is also produced commercially by traditional processors. Yanyanku is a product with potential for scaling up and industrialization; it could be an alternative to standard starter culture utilization. The product is traditionally processed at the household level and has a long shelf life (about 10 years). This study has evaluated the yanyanku processing, with a view to upgrade the processing technology and to improve the product quality in future investigations.