Effect of different process combinations on the fermentation kinetics, microflora and energy density of ben-saalga, a fermented gruel from Burkina Faso

Three different processes combining cooking (C), addition of malt (M) and/or backslop inoculation (I) were investigated to increase the energy density (ED) of ben-saalga, a millet-based fermented gruel and their effects on fermentation kinetics and microbiological characteristics were assessed. In the process combining cooking and inoculation (CI) and in the control (traditional processing methods), glucose and fructose were the main sugars and their concentrations decreased during the settling step (fermentation). In the process combinations that included the addition of malt (CM and CMI), maltose was the main sugar that accumulated during settling. In the CM process combination, the start of fermentation was considerably delayed due to the marked reduction in natural microflora during cooking. In contrast, in the CI and CMI process combinations, inoculation by back slopping accelerated acidification, resulting in a pH value of below 4.0 after 7 h of fermentation. Although malt was added at a very low rate (0.125%), gruels made using CM and CMI process combinations, and prepared at a suitable consistency, had an ED close to or above 84 kcal/100 g of sweetened gruel, the minimum value required for complementary food.