Abstract
Fermented African oil bean (Pentaclethra macrophylla Benth) seed also referred to as “Ugba” is a known delicacy, mainly consumed by Africans. Human migration has also led to the introduction of this delicacy into most European and American countries. This study shows the changes in volatile components of African oil bean (P. macrophylla Benth) seed at different stages of fermentation. A quantity of 0.3 kg each of dehulled and sliced raw sample and cooked unfermented sample were separately ground, while 2 and 4 days fermented samples obtained by inoculating 0.6 kg of cooked, sliced and washed sample with 0.5 g of 4 days fermented seed was divided into two of 0.3 kg each and ground at the second and fourth day of fermentation. GC‐MS analyses of the volatile components showed 9,12‐Octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)‐ and its esters as highest in raw seed, with total percentage concentration of 96.301, while 9‐Octadecenoic acid, methyl ester, (E)‐ was highest in cooked unfermented seed, with percentage concentration 55.204. Phenol, 2‐methoxy‐3‐(2‐propenyl)‐ and its esters were the highest observed in cooked 2 days fermented seed, with total percentage concentration of 50.596, while 9‐Octadecenoic acid (Z)‐, methyl ester was highest in cooked 4 days fermented seed with percentage concentration of 67.788. Aside from softening the delicacy, a 4 days chance fermentation of cooked P. macrophylla Benth seed also reduces the eight component lipids present in the cooked unfermented seed to a more nutriceutical three component lipids (Hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, 9‐Octadecenoic acid (Z)‐methyl ester and Methyl stearate).
Highlights
Africans and other locals from developing countries usually practice a traditional fermentation method which involves a spontaneous development of different lactic acid producing bacteria
The names, retention times, percentage concentration, molecular formula, molecular weight, spectra and structures of the volatile components of raw, cooked unfermented, 2 days fermented and 4 days fermented P. macrophylla Benth seed are presented in Tables 1–4. 9,12-Octadecadienoic acid (Z,Z)- and its esters were the highest volatile component observed in raw P. macrophylla Benth seed, with a total percentage concentration of 96.301 and a mean retention time of 20.103 min, while 9-Octadecenoic acid, methyl ester, (E)- was the highest observed in the cooked unfermented seed, with a percentage concentration 55.204 and a retention time of 19.155 min
The result of this study shows a progressive decrease in both the number and structural complicity of the volatile components of fermented P. macrophylla Benth seed
Summary
Africans and other locals from developing countries usually practice a traditional fermentation method which involves a spontaneous development of different lactic acid producing bacteria. The unavailability of lactic acid bacteria starter cultures for small-scale processing of local African foods necessitate the adoption of the old traditional method of using a portion of a fermented food product to start a new fermentation batch. This traditional method of microbial seeding referred to as chance inoculation, in principle resembles the modern starter culture method. A quantity of 0.3 kg of raw uncooked sample was obtained by peeling and slicing 0.5 kg of the raw seeds with a sterilized knife; while a quantity of 2.0 kg of the seed samples were boiled at 100°C for 6 hr. A quantity of 0.3 kg each of raw uncooked sample and the cooked unfermented sample were separately ground into a fine smooth paste using Thomas Scientific, (Model 4) Wiley’s mill, while the 2 and 4 days fermented samples were obtained by inoculating 0.6 kg of cooked, sliced and washed sample with 0.5 g
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