African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (9), pp. 905-908, September 2005          
ISSN 1684–5315 © 2005 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Microbial utilization of stachyose in soymilk yogurt production

OMOGBAI B.A. ^1*, IKENEBOMEH M.J.¹ and OJEABURU S.I²

¹Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.

²Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.

*Corresponding Authors Email: barryomogbai@yahoo.com. Tel: +2348023579328.

Accepted 25 July, 2005

Conventional dairy yogurt starter cultures Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus were studied for their ability to reduce stachyose in soymilk after 8 h fermentation at 44°C. The bacteria required acclimatization and propagation in soymilk prior to inoculation of fermentation medium.  Plain soymilk fermented by inocula developed from  the starter cultures stored in soymilk at –10°C for 24, 168 and 360 h had 14.8, 26.7 and 31.5% reduction in stachyose concentration respectively after 8 h fermentation at 44°C.

Key words: Stachyose reduction, soymilk yogurt production.