Influence of the Fermentative Flora on the Carbohydrate content of Sorghum Grains

Author(s): Goubgou Mahamadé, Bationo Fabrice, Nébié Sibiri, Cissé Hama, Songré-Ouattara T Laurencia, Traoré Yves, Savadogo Aly

Microbial fermentation activates many endogenous enzymes that help improve the nutritional value of cereals. The present study aimed to determine the effect of the fermentation flora on the carbohydrate content of hulled and non-hulled sorghum grains fermented for 72 hours. The fermentation process, the enumeration of the total mesophilic aerobic flora, yeasts and molds and the total carbohydrate contents were made according to standard analysis methods. The pH of the fermentation waters was recorded every 24 hours. The results showed a significant drop in pH over fermentation time from 6.05 to 4.14 for hulled sorghum grains fermented for 72 hours. The evolution of loads in total mesophilic aerobic flora and yeasts and molds resulting in the drop in pH in unhulled sorghum grains is linked to alcoholic fermentation and that in hulled grains to lactic and acetic fermentation. The production of metabolites responsible for the drop in pH during fermentation would be linked to the degradation of carbohydrate compounds. Spontaneous fermentation of sorghum grains allowed the degradation of carbohydrate molecules and this could also be accompanied by an improvement in the bioavailability of nutrients contained in the grains.