Article
Microbiological and physico-chemical quality control of a millet-based couscous developed by the Institute of Food Technology in Senegal
Afrique SCIENCE
(2024)
Abstract
Millet-based couscous, a traditional consumer product in Senegal, often produced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), takes several hours to prepare. To provide an alternative to this tedious work, and to help increase couscous productivity, the “Institut de Technologie Alimentaire (ITA) has developed a lighter millet couscous production process known as "economic couscous", which significantly reduces production time and costs. However, information on nutritional profile and sanitary quality can help to enhance the value and competitiveness of this technological innovation. With this in mind, the aim of this study was to monitor the microbiological and physico-chemical quality of economic couscous after testing the technology. Microbiological analyses were carried out according to standardized ISO enumeration and identification methods. The physico-chemical analyses, which were carried out on the same samples using AOAC methods according to the parameter to be tested, showed a moisture content of 6.91 % ; an acidity of 0.05 % ; an ash content of 0.92 % and a protein content of 9.49 %, in compliance with the criteria of NS ECOSTAND 062. The detection of certain minerals such as Zn (1.49 mg/100g), Fe (5.79 mg/100g), Ca (10.51 mg/100g), Mg (56.41 mg/100 g) and K (257.63 mg/100 g) enabled us to consider economic couscous as an important source of nutrients in the diet. Microbiologically, the results showed an absence of Salmonella spp. and that, among the parameters analyzed, total coliforms, yeasts, Bacillus cereus, sulfito-reducing clostridium, Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli could not be enumerated. Nevertheless, low contamination by aerobic mesophilic flora at 30°C (1.5.102 CFU/g) and molds (4.3.101 CFU/g) was noted, with values in line with NS ECOSTAND 062 criteria. These analytical results provide information on the hygienic and nutritional quality of the millet, helping to promote economic couscous
Keywords
- mil,
- couscous économique,
- analyses microbiologiques,
- analyses physico-chimiques,
- qualité
Disciplines
Publication Date
Winter January 1, 2024
Citation Information
Adjaratou BASSE, Mamadou Salif SOW, Fallou SARR, Seynabou Momar FALL, et al.. "Microbiological and physico-chemical quality control of a millet-based couscous developed by the Institute of Food Technology in Senegal" Afrique SCIENCE Vol. 92 (2024) p. 1 - 91 ISSN: 1813-548X, Available at: http://works.bepress.com/dicko/174/
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