LEVELS OF ANTINUTRITIONAL FACTORS IN PEARL-MILLET AS AFFECTED BY PROCESSING TREATMENTS AND VARIOUS TYPES OF FERMENTATION

Pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoideum) was fermented with Lactobacilli o r yeasts alone and in combination, and with natural microflora after v arious processing treatments, as grinding, soaking, debranning, dry he at treatment, autoclaving and germination. Fermentation was carried ou t at 30 degrees C for 48 hours with Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) and R hodotorula (R) isolated from naturally fermented pearl millet and Lact obacillus acidophilus (LA), Candida utilis (CU) and natural microflora (NF). Germination and autoclaving, and debranning and autoclaving wer e the most effective processing treatments to reduce the phytic acid, amylase inhibitors and polyphenols. There was a further reduction in t hese antinutrients due to fermentation. Phytic acid and amylase inhibi tors were completely eliminated after fermentation in some of the samp les especially in soaked, debranned and germinated ones. Polyphenols w ere altered non-significantly in general but fermentation with Lp+R an d NF caused a significant increase in polyphenols.