Innovations in the Traditional Kunun Zaki Production Process

Abstract

The traditional kunun zaki production process has been improved upon. The usual 24 hours process has been shortened to a maximum of 12 hours. Steeping of the grains in warm water with 5% sodium metabisulphite help in softening them. Liquefaction and saccharification of gelatinized sorghum starch with sweet potato and Cadaba farinosa crude extracts did not increase the amount of reducing sugar after 6 hours of incubation. Similarly, the specific density of the slurry remained the same after 6 hours of incubation with the crude enzyme extracts. Due to shortened saccharification process, the nutrient content of kunun zaki from improved process was a bit higher. The protein content was 5.4 and 4.1% for the improved and traditional processes respectively. The product from improved process was preferred to that in the traditional process.