i Parkia biglobosa - School of Forest Resources & Environmental ...

Konlani et al 1999, Odunfa 1985). In the household or cottage industry preparation of
dawadawa, the techniques employed are simple and non-sterile materials are used.
Fermentation relies on natural inocula under uncontrolled fermentation conditions. This
uncontrolled fermentation can lead to inconsistent products and shorter shelf life
(Latunde-Dada 1997). In industrial manufacturing, the process is more closely monitored
and controlled with direct inoculation with isolated and purified microorganisms. Longer
shelf life is an advantage of the commercial product.
The studies of Antai (1986) and Odunfa (1985) found several microorganisms
associated with dawadawa but the most abundant and the major agent of fermentation
after 72 hours of fermentation was Bacillus subtilis. These bacteria have also been
identified as the agent for the fermentation of soybean into Japanese natto. Other
microorganisms present after fermentation were Leuconostoc mesenteroides and
Staphylococcus spp.. Antai and Ibrahim (1986) and Konlani et al (1999) results found
the fermentation process to produce dawadawa is exothermic, that is heat is produced
during fermentation, and pH also increases during the fermentation (Table 5)
Table 5 - Physical and microbial changes during fermentation of P. biglobosa beans
(Konlani et al 1999)
Time Moisture Temperature pH MicroFlore
(hour) Content (%) (°C)
(1 g sample)
0 40 25 6.5 25
24 45 30 7.0 1.1 x 10 3
48 52 40 7.5 1.2 x 10 4
72 65 45 8.0 1.5 x 10 5
70