NaCl‐Added Soybean Fermentation and Post‐Fermentation Moisture Modulation: Effects on Safety and Shelf Life of a Traditional, Nonsalted Alkaline Food
2015
Rakshit, Mousumi | Nout, Martinus J.R. | Sarkar, Prabir K.
The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of adding NaCl prior to fermentation and moisture reduction after the fermentation on the safety and shelf life of kinema, a Bacillus‐fermented soybean food. The physicochemical parameters of kinema decreased with an increase in the concentration of NaCl up to 4 g/100 g where there was no significant change in cell count of the fermenting microorganism (Bacillus subtilis) and sensory score of the product but eliminated Bacillus cereus. Escherichia coli was reduced by 1 log cycle in the presence of NaCl but eliminated when the water activity (aw) of kinema was reduced to 0.5 after fermentation. Salt had no effect on its shelf‐life. Storage stability was determined in terms of its moisture sorption isotherms. Thermodynamic functions decreased with increasing moisture content. The monolayer moisture content ranged from 6.0 to 8.3 g/100 g and the optimum aw for storage of kinema was ≤0.5. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: As producers do not adopt safety measures during its preparation, kinema is not always microbiologically safe for consumption. Through the present study it will be possible to eliminate pathogens like B. cereus and E. coli from kinema by the combined effect of salt and aw. The enhanced safety level achieved opens up a future scope for exploring the possibilities of its use as a flavoring or food supplement ingredient. The sorption study revealed the ideal conditions for storage of kinema and can be utilized in the future for designing packaging materials that will ensure better food quality. The combination of salt and aw is applicable to other traditional Bacillus‐fermented legume foods, like Thai thua nao, Korean chongkukjang and African dawadawa.
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