Biochemical changes associated with the fermentation of baobab seeds in Maari: An alkaline fermented seeds condiment from western Africa

Abstract

Chemical changes during the fermentation of baobab seeds for production of Maari, a food condiment used in West Africa, were studied. Results showed a wide variety of free amino acids including essential amino acids in the unfermented seeds. Fermentation led to an increase in the concentration of total free amino acids from 16.03 nmol/mg in unfermented seeds to 113.24 nmol/mg after 60 hours of fermentation followed by a decrease thereafter. Fluctuations in the concentrations of each compound were observed during the fermentation period. Differences were also observed in the final products from different production sites with the Gorgadji sample showing the highest content in free amino acids. The output of the oil extraction was 11.5–25.8%. A total of seven fatty acids were identified, with oleic acid being quantitatively the major fatty acid. The results showed a much higher concentration of unsaturated fatty acids than saturated fatty acids. The preponderant fatty acids were oleic, linoleic, palmitic, and stearic acids. These four fatty acids constitute approximately 90% of the composition of Maari. The transformations of amino acids and fatty acids revealed during the fermentation of the seeds during this study will contribute to understanding its contribution to the nutrition of its consumers.