Effects of Drying Methods, Fermentation Times and Containers on the Proximate Composition of Processed Locust Beans (Parkia biglobosa)

Locust bean seeds where dehulled, boiled at 110^oC for 12hrs and allowed to cool at 45^oC before fermenting using different fermentation containers of calabash, stainless steel and plastic respectively with different fermentation times of 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours respectively. The samples were further dried using sun and oven drying method to determine their respective effects on the proximate composition of fermented locust bean seeds. The results obtained for fermentation time of 24 hours, 48hours and 72 hours respectively, moisture content was between 5.6-6.5%, crude fat - 34.17-34.56%, Ash - 2.08-2.62%, Fiber - 2.62-3.50%, Protein - 40.67-43.00%, and carbohydrate - 9.83-14.94%. For fermentation containers of calabash, stainless steel and plastic was between 5.90- 6.31% for moisture content, 33.81-35.07% - crude fat, 2.35-2.45% - ash, 2.80-3.17% - crude fiber, 41.17-41.83% - crude protein, and 11.65-13.67% - carbohydrate difference. On method of drying which includes sun and oven drying (55^oC) methods, moisture content was 5.27-6.44%, crude fat - 34.14- 34.51%, ash - 2.36-2.39%, crude fiber - 3.00-3.11%, crude protein - 41.22-42.00%, and 12.19-13.66% - carbohydrate difference. The effect of fermentation time brought about stability in crude fat formation, low ash content due to leaching of minerals and salt utilization by microbes during fermentation and low carbohydrate content due to leaching of sugars and utilization sugars by sugar utilizing enzymes with further increase in fermentation time. Crude fat was highest in samples from calabash gourd and the oven drying method at 55^o C for 6 hours was very effective since there was significant difference in the moisture content when comparing the two forms of drying.