IMPACT OF FERMENTATION ON THE BIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES, ANTINUTRITIONAL COMPOUNDS AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF GELATINIZED FLOURS FROM TWO FONIO VARIETIES

Abstract

The impact of fermentation on the biochemical properties, antinutritional compounds and antioxidant activities of gelatinized flours from white and brown fonio grains were investigated. The gelatinized flour was fermented at different periods (2, 4, 8. 16 and 24 h) using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Flour samples with moderate acidity were produced following gelatinireduced the level of phytic acid, tannin and saponin content in both varieties compared to the raw flour. In a time dependent man antinutritional compounds, and improved phytochemical constituents (total phenolic content and total flavonoids content) and antioxidant activities of the gelatinized fonio flours. This study demonstrated that combined fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and gelatinization could be utilized to produce fonio flour with low residual antinutrients and higher antioxidant activities.