CHANGES IN THE MICROBIAL PROFILE AND PROXIMATE COMPOSITION DURING NATURAL AND CONTROLLED FERMENTATIONS OF SOYBEANS TO PRODUCE KINEMA

The mean viable count of Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecium and Candida parapsilosis increased progressively in fermenting soybeans; the increase was significant at every sampling time interval (8 h) up to 48, 40 and 32 h, respectively Although acidity increased significantly at almost every 8 h interval the fermentation was essentially alkaline, causing pH of the beans to rise to about 8.5. With the decline in protein nitrogen content, the non-protein and soluble nitrogen contents increased significantly at almost every 8 h interval The fermentation process as well as general acceptability of kinema were improved by fermenting sterile beans with B. subtilis DK-WI at 45 degrees C. This led to a more desirable fermentation within a much shorter period, compared with the natural fermentation. The rate of increase of Bacillus count in monoculture fermentation was much faster than that in natural fermentation. The Bacillus count in kinema produced by monoculture fermentation was 6.4 times higher than that of naturally fermented kinema. The content of free fatty acids of She Bacillus-fermented kinema was 140% less than that of the naturally fermented one. However in respect of other compositional parameters, the two types of fermentation were similar. (C) 1995 Academic Press Limited