Carbohydrate Changes in Fermentating Locust Bean During I R U Preparation

Abstract

Oligosaccharides were the most abundant carbohydrates in the unfermented African locust beans. Flatus-fonning oligosaccharides - stachyose and raffinose and sucrose were the main constituents. During the first 24 h of fermentation the quantities of the oligosaccharides decreased significantly. The reducing sugars increased during the first 12 h but these decreased at later hours of fermentation. The reducing sugars detected in the unfermented and fetmented locust beans were similar; these were galactose, glucose and fructose. The activities of a α-galactosidase and α-galactosidase were highest at 24 h from the start of fermentation while the peak of sucrase activity was at 36 h.