Enzymatic and Some Biochemical Changes Associated With the Production of “Kantong,” a Traditional Fermented Condiment in Northern Ghana

Abstract

This paper reports on the activities of three major food enzymes (amylase, protease and lipase) during the traditional fermentation of Ceiba pentandra seeds into “kantong,” a condiment used in Northern Ghana for soups. Samples were taken at periodic intervals during the fermentation, and enzyme activities and other parameters were determined. All enzyme activities increased steadily during fermentation, but leveled off when the fermentation was stopped at 48 h and the product dried. The increase in enzyme activities led to significant reductions in the levels of fiber and lipids, whereas protein and ash contents increased significantly (P < 0.05). The fermentation produced significant increases in the concentration of all the amino acids. The process was acidic, as the pH dropped from 6.95 to 4.91. “Kantong,” used in poor homes as substitute for meat or fish for flavoring soups, can serve as a nutritious condiment in the diet and its consumption should be encouraged. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS “Kantong” is a traditional fermented condiment produced by the fermentation of the seeds of silk cotton (Ceiba pentandra). It is widely used in Northern Ghana as flavoring for soups and stews. However, no scientific studies about the fermentation process have been carried out. A scientific understanding of the fermentation process will enable a technological improvement on the process, either by the use of starter cultures or the addition of exogenous enzymes to the medium for the substrate conversion. The work also provided information on the nutritional value of the product, and thus its role in providing food security to the people who use it. The microbiological aspects of the fermentation are described under a different topic.

Nutritional Composition of Three Selected Traditional Diets: A Case Study of Ngwa People in Abia State, Nigeria

“…Lipid content of the cooked samples of the traditional food was highest in Akara Igboro (38.00%) followed by Ofeachara mixed with Mgbam and Garri (22.00%).Crude fibre content was high in "Akidi" (12.32%), followed by Akara-Igboro (6.56%) and lowest in Ofeachara mixed with Mgbam and Garri (3.05%).These values compared well with those of other traditional foods like "Kantong" -9.70% [19], sweet potato leaf soup-5.88% [20] and "Bhat Kerela Bhaji", a traditional recipe of Assam, India-12.6% [21]. There was a significant difference in crude fibre composition of the diets.…”

“…The highest value for moisture contents of the cooked sample was Ofeachara mixed with Mgbam and Garri (8.41%) followed by Akidi (8.00%) and Akara-Igboro (4.03%). However, the moisture contents of all the traditional food samples were low compared to that of katong (32.47%) [19]. The high moisture content observed in some of the samples proposes that during storage the samples may be susceptible to bacterial spoilage.…”

Enzyme profiles of potential starter cultures for the fermentation of baobab seeds

“…The usefulness of the enzymatic profile to differentiate bacteria, together with its possible interest for the bacteria ability to degrade some subtracts were previously evaluated (Ouoba et al, 2003a(Ouoba et al, , b, 2007Azokpota et al, 2006;Kpikpi et al, 2009).…”

“…In our previous work, we reported that during the processing of the baobab seeds, carbohydrates and lipids content decrease but not protein content (Parkouda, 2010). These changes are likely to be explained by the cooking and loss in the cooking water; and the metabolic activities of the microorganisms involved in the fermentation (Kpikpi et al, 2009;Yagoub et al, 2004). Indeed, the raw materials used to produce the alkaline condiments are substrates in which Bacillus spp.…”

Influence of ambient storage condition on the nutritional quality of selected freeze dried instant Nigerian soups

“…They are extremely health protective and rich in nutrient. Some traditional foods are good sources of proteins, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants (Kpikpi et al, 2009;Amadi et al, 2011;Benjamin et al, 2012b). Interestingly, different cultures have different traditional foods that are indigenous to them (Benjamin et al, 2012a;Benjamin et al, 2012b;Amadi et al, 2011;Benjamin et al, 2011).…”