Abstract
Mahewu is a traditional cool non-alcoholic fermented beverage known among African countries; generally made from cereals but also it can be made from tubes. The raw material (cereals and tubes) is spontaneity fermented at room temperature by acid lactic bacteria, the fermentation process is considered to increase the nutritional content of mahewu. The beverage is most known in the liquid form, that takes up more volume and less shelf life. The presentation of mahewu in powder it will allow minor volume and increase the shelf life. The objective of the present study was to develop cassava mahewu in powder form in order to stabilize a protocol of rehydration and investigate its instantaneous behavior. The standard cassava mahewu was prepared using fermentation techniques and thereafter 30 g and 40 g were firstly frozen for 24 h/-18°C followed by freeze drying at -20°C for a period of 24 h to obtain the powder form of cassava mahewu. The pH and acidity levels were controlled throughout the preparation processes and the total solids content of the solution was adjusted to 15.9 ± 0.1 oBrix, in order to freeze dry with a quantity of known soluble solids. The moisture content, water activity (wa), tests of instantaneousness (wettability and dispensability) of the powdered cassava mahewu and the sensorial properties of the reconstituted powder after rehydration with water at 25°C to replace 60%, 80% and 100% of water lost during the freeze-drying were evaluated using standard methods. The results showed a reduction of the pH (6.11 to 4.56) and an increased in acidity (0.06 g/100g to 0.25 g/100g of lactic acid) of the standard cassava mahewu at beginning (t = 0 h) and at end of fermentation (t = 24 h) respectively. Both samples of 30 g and 40 g indicated a water activity of 0.39 and 0.42, moisture content of 6.50 and 8.57% and instantaneousness of 3 s and 3.33s respectively. The results showed an optimal behavior of instantaneousness of 3 s indicating an easy penetration of liquid (water) on the powdered cassava mahewu. According to the sensorial analysis, the reconstituted cassava mahewu rehydrated with 100% of water lost during the freeze drying was more appreciated and preferred compared with 80% and 60%.
Highlights
Mahewu is a non-alcoholic fermented beverage known and produced in larger scale in Southern African region
The fermentation process leading to the formation of mahewu is due to the action of Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which offer extension of shelf-life, increases the nutritional value and improve the organoleptic characteristics of the mahewu [4, 5]
There was no significant difference between cassava mahewu in powder rehydrated at 100% and cassava mahewu standard/original
Summary
Mahewu is a non-alcoholic fermented beverage known and produced in larger scale in Southern African region. It is consumed as food and cool drink in this region and normally used as weaning food for children between 4 to 8 months [1, 2]. In Africa mahewu is traditionally made mainly from cereals such as maize, rice and millet as well as tubers namely sweet-potatoes [7] and cassava [8]. The mahewu from maize is the most popular, which in Mozambique has been produced in commercial scale and called “super mahewu” [9]. Among the African countries, Zimbabwe is known as the most producer of maize mahewu followed by South Africa and Botswana [10]. In Mozambique cassava mahewu has produced and it is considered an alternative to other mahewu produced from other carbohydrate extracts [8]
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