Development of arrowroot flour fermented by kefir grains.

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Microbiology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Arrowroot flour is a staple carbohydrate source.
• Fermentation is a traditional method to improve food properties.
• Kefir grains offer a rich source of probiotics and bioactive compounds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To produce arrowroot flour fermented by kefir grains.
• To assess the physicochemical, nutritional, and microbiological changes.
• To evaluate the potential of fermented arrowroot flour as a functional food ingredient.

Main Methods:

• Arrowroot flour was fermented using kefir grains at room temperature (25-28°C).
• Fermentation was conducted in batches with homogenization every 3 hours.
• Samples were analyzed at 24 and 48 hours for various quality parameters.

Main Results:

• Fermentation significantly increased antioxidant activity (IC50 decreased from 18.9 to 13.84).
• Protein content increased from 3.08% to 6.00% after 48 hours of fermentation.
• Organic acid production, browning, starch structure modification, and carbohydrate reduction were observed.

Conclusions:

• Kefir fermentation positively modifies arrowroot flour's characteristics.
• The resulting arrowroot kefir flour exhibits enhanced nutritional and functional properties.
• This fermented flour presents a safe and valuable new product for the food market.