Soya‐yoghurt starter culture development from fermented tropical vegetables

The development of soya‐yoghurt starter culture from fermented tropical vegetables was initiated. Soya milk fortified with 10 g litre −1 sucrose was sterilised (121°C for 15 min) and inoculated with the exudate of fermented tropical vegetables. Acid production in the soya milk medium during incubation at 42°C for 5 h was evaluated and compared with cows' milk based cultures. Aroma of the soya milk based and cows' milk based cultures was also compared. Cultures derived from fermented cassava and corn separately reduced soya milk pH from 6′8 to 43 and 45, and significantly greater culture activity was observed in soya milk than in cows' milk. The culture from corn produced the most acceptable yoghurt‐like aroma in soya milk while that from African oil bean seed produced the least acceptable aroma. The consumer‐acceptable mild buttermilk‐like aroma of yoghurt was not produced in soya milk or cows' milk by the cultures evaluated.