Peer-Reviewed Academic Journal
Continental Journal of Applied Sciences
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Effects of Drying Methods, Fermentation Times and Containers on the Proximate Composition of Processed Locust Beans (Parkia biglobosa)

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Abstract

Locust bean seeds were dehulled, boiled at 110 °C for 12 hours, and allowed to cool at 45 °C before fermenting using different fermentation containers of calabash, stainless steel and plastic, respectively, with different fermentation times of 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours, respectively. The samples were further dried using the sun and oven drying method to determine their respective effects on the proximate composition of fermented locust bean seeds. The results obtained for fermentation time of 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours, respectively, moisture content was between 5.6-6.5%, crude fat - 34.17-34.56%, Ash - 2.08-2.62%, Fiber - 2.62-3.50%, Protein - 40.67-43.00%, and carbohydrate - 9.83-14.94%. For fermentation containers of calabash, stainless steel, and plastic was between 5.90- 6.31% for moisture content, 33.81-35.07% - crude fat, 2.35-2.45% - ash, 2.80-3.17% - crude fiber, 41.17-41.83% - crude protein, and 11.65-13.67% - carbohydrate difference. On the method of drying, which includes sun and oven drying (55 °C) methods, moisture content was 5.27-6.44%, crude fat - 34.14- 34.51%, ash - 2.36-2.39%, crude fiber - 3.00-3.11%, crude protein - 41.22-42.00%, and 12.19-13.66% carbohydrate difference. The effect of fermentation time brought about stability in crude fat formation, low ash content due to leaching of minerals and salt utilization by microbes during fermentation and low carbohydrate content due to leaching of sugars and utilization sugars by sugar utilizing enzymes with further increase in fermentation time. Crude fat was highest in samples from calabash gourd, and the oven drying method at 55 °C for 6 hours was very effective since there was a significant difference in the moisture content when comparing the two forms of drying.

Keywords

#Proximate Composition #Drying #Fermentation #Containers #Time.
Publication Date April 27, 2026
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) 10.5281/zenodo.6138882
Journal Volume & Issue Vol 17