Effect of controlled fermentation using aspergillus niger and trichoderma harzanium on nutrient composition of pre-treated bengal indigo (indigofera arrecta) seeds

Project Abstract

The research project investigated the effect of controlled fermentation using Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma harzianum on the nutrient composition of pre-treated Bengal indigo (Indigofera arrecta) seeds. Bengal indigo seeds are known for their high protein content and potential as a valuable food source. However, they also contain antinutritional factors such as phytates and tannins which can reduce the bioavailability of essential nutrients. In this study, the seeds were pre-treated to reduce the levels of antinutritional factors, and then subjected to controlled fermentation using Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma harzianum. These fungi are known for their ability to produce enzymes that can degrade antinutritional factors and enhance the nutrient profile of food materials. The results of the study showed that controlled fermentation led to a significant reduction in antinutritional factors such as phytates and tannins in the Bengal indigo seeds. This reduction was accompanied by an increase in the levels of essential nutrients such as protein, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. The fermentation process also resulted in an improvement in the digestibility of the nutrients present in the seeds. Furthermore, the study found that the combination of Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma harzianum was more effective in enhancing the nutrient composition of the Bengal indigo seeds compared to individual fermentation with either fungus. This synergistic effect may be attributed to the complementary action of the enzymes produced by the two fungi in degrading antinutritional factors and releasing nutrients. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that controlled fermentation using Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma harzianum can be a promising approach to improve the nutrient composition of Bengal indigo seeds and enhance their potential as a nutritious food source. Further research is needed to optimize the fermentation conditions and scale up the process for potential industrial applications in food processing and nutrition enhancement.

Project Overview

<p> </p><div><p><strong>INTRODUCTION</strong></p><p>The genus <em>Indigofera</em>&nbsp;Linn. is a large genus of about 700 species of flowering plants belonging to the sub-family Papilionoideae in the family Fabaceae / Leguminosae. They occur throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Burkill (1995) recognized 60 species while Soladoye and Lewis (2003) recorded 60 species in Nigeria with over 60% abundance in the Northern region of the country with 27 species distributed across the South Western area of the country. <em>Indigofera</em>&nbsp;in Greek means indigo dye which is famous for the natural blue colors obtained from the leaflets and branches of this herb. The most important of the species are <em>Indigoferaarrecta </em>and<em>&nbsp;Indigofera tinctoria.</em></p><p><em>Indigofera </em>spp. display excellent adaptation to a range of environments, and possessdiverse morphological and agronomic attributes, significant to their use as forage and cover crops (Hassen <em>et al</em>., 2006)<em>.</em>&nbsp;Some of these species, <em>Indigofera tinctoria</em>&nbsp;and <em>Indigofera suffruticosa</em>&nbsp;are used to produced indigo dyes while some have medicinal values such as <em>Indigofera articulate</em>&nbsp;used for the treatment of toothache,</p><p><em>Indigofera oblongifolia, Indigofera suffruticosa </em>and<em>&nbsp;Indigofera aspalthoides </em>are usedas anti–inflammatories for treatment of insect stings, snake bites and swellings (Shahjahan <em>et al</em>., 2005); and <em>Indigofera arrecta</em>&nbsp;extract is used to relieve ulcer pain.</p><p>The stem of <em>Indigofera tinctoria</em>&nbsp;is chewed to cure cough and decoction of leaves is used to cure chest pains, epilepsy, nervous disorders, asthma, bronchitis, fever and complaints of stomach, liver, kidney and spleen- especially in Cameroon (Takawira-Nyenya and Cardon, 2005). The twine paste cures dislocation. Also the warm leaves dismiss bruises (Ibe and Nwufo, 2005). Phytochemical investigation of <em>Indigofera</em>&nbsp;species shows that they are rich in organic and fatty acids, flavonoids such as carotenoids and coumarins (Yinusa <em>et al.,</em>&nbsp;2007).</p><p></p></div><h3></h3><br> <br><p></p>