The functional properties of soybean flour fermented with lactic acid (LAB)-consortium was evaluated. Soybean was processed into flour, fermented spontaneously and with LAB-consortium previously isolated from maize (Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1+Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, ATCC 53/03+Lactobacillus nantensis LP33+Lactobacillus fermentum CIP 102980+Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 20016) and sorghum (Pediococcus acidilactici DSM 20284+Lactobacillus fermentum CIP 102980+Lactobacillus brevis ATCC 14869+Lactobacillus nantensis LP33+Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1) to evaluate their effects on the functional properties of the flour at 12 h intervals using standard techniques. The result shows gradual decrease in bulk density with increasing fermentation period ranging from 0.74 ± 0.03 g/mL to 0.72 ± 0.03 g/mL (natural), from 0.74 ± 0.03 g/mL to 0.70 ± 0.02 g/mL (LAB-consortium from maize) and from 0.74 ± 0.03 g/mL to 0.70 ± 0.02 g/mL (LAB-consortium from sorghum) fermentation. The swelling capacity decreased from 0.77 ± 0.03 g/mL to 0.64 ± 0.01 g/mL, from 0.77 ± 0.03 g/mL to 0.59 ± 0.01 g/mL and from 0.77 ± 0.03 g/mL to 0.61 ± 0.03 g/mL in natural, LAB-consortium from maize and sorghum fermentations respectively. Water holding capacity decreased from 2.4 ± 0.03 mL/g to 1.9 ± 0.03 mL/g, from 2.4 ± 0.03 mL/g to 2.0 ± 0.03 mL/g and from 2.4 ± 0.03 mL/g to 1.9 ± 0.03 mL/g in natural, LAB-consortium from maize and sorghum fermentation respectively. Oil holding capacity increased significantly (p<0.05) with increasing fermentation time, ranging from 8.92 ± 0.02 mL/g to 9.30 ± 0.03 mL/g (natural), 8.92 ± 0.01 mL/g to 9.63 ± 0.03 mL/g (LAB-consortium from maize) and from 8.92 ± 0.03 mL/g to 9.69 ± 0.03 mL/g (LAB-consortium from sorghum) fermentations. The least gelation concentration ranged from 3.0% (unfermented) to 6.0% (other fermentation products). Emulsion capacity (EC) increased from 35.88 ± 3.12% to 44.33 ± 1.33%, from 35.88 ± 3.12% to 46.83 ± 3.18% and from 35.88 ± 3.12 % to 45.99 ± 2.21% in natural, LAB-consortium from maize and sorghum fermentations respectively. This suggests the potentials of LAB-consortia fermentation in improving nutritional and functional properties of soybean flour.

Mangifera indica (Mango) is a fruit with good nutritional attributes but has short shelf-life under the prevailing weather conditions in tropical countries like Nigeria. Therefore, production of wine from this fruit can help increase wine variety and reduce post-harvest losses. Mango fruit of the cultivar commonly known as peter was used to produce two set of fruit wines (A and B) using baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and spontaneous fermentations respectively. Exactly 2.5 kg of mango pulp was crushed using laboratory blender for each setup and mixed with sterile distilled water (1:1 w/v). 0.5 mg/L of sodium metabisulphate was added to must A. The fruit musts were subjected to primary and secondary fermentation for 4 days and 7 days respectively. During primary fermentation, aliquots were removed from the fermentation vessel for analysis of alcohol content, pH, temperature, total solids and total acidity. The result shows increase in alcohol contents (ranging from 0.00% to 7.50%) with gradual decrease in pH (ranging from 4.06 to 3.78). There were fluctuations in temperature between 33°C to 31°C while the total acidity increased in the range of 0.21% to 0.63%. Total soluble solids decreased gradually ranging from 200Brix to 70Brix. The alcoholic content of the final basic wine were 10.5% and 8.5% for A and B respectively. The total acidity was observed to be 0.71% for wine A and 0.8% for Wine B. Sensory evaluation rated the wines acceptability as wine A>wine B and do not show any significant difference (p>0.05) except in clarity. The studies have shown that acceptable fruit wine can be produced from mango fruit (cv. peter) which can help reduce postharvest losses.