Three Traditional Fermented Baobab Foods from Benin, Mutchayan, Dikouanyouri, and Tayohounta: Preparation, Properties, and Consumption

Abstract

Forest food resources contribute significantly to food supply in areas where they grow. Three fermented baobab foods were studied: Dikouanyouri (from seeds, pH = 6.5); Tayohounta (from seed kernels, pH = 7), and Mutchayan (from baobab pulp and sorghum, pH = 4.2). Bacillus spp. (8.5 and 9.5 Log cfu /g) and lactic acid bacteria (8.9 and 8.4 Log cfu /g,) dominate in Dikouanyouri and Tayohounta, respectively. In Mutchayan, lactic acid bacteria (8.1 Log cfu/g) and yeasts (7.2 Log cfu/g) predominated. The arbitrary index of protein cleavage increases from 2.3% (unfermented products) to 13.7% in Dikouanyouri and 21.3% in Tayohounta, indicating significant protein degradation. Mutchayan is the most frequently consumed product.

KEYWORDS:

• baobab foods
• fermentation
• Bacillus
• lactic acid bacteria
• yeasts
• chemical composition
• consumption

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

We thank NUFFIC and Codesria SGTR-04/T07 for their financial support. We are also thankful to local populations in Northern Benin for their cooperation.