Degradation of Phytic Acid in Oncom (Fermented Peanut Press Cake)

Peanut press cake was fermented with Neurospora sitophila, Rhizopus oligosporus, a Neurospora strain isolated from Indonesian oncom, and mixed cultures of these molds. The phytic acid content of the uninoculated cake was 1.36% on a dry basis, but decreased rapidly during fermentation. Oncom prepared with R. oligosporus contained the least amount of phytic acid (0.05% after 72 hr of fermentation), while oncom prepared with the Indonesian strain of Neurospora contained the greatest amount of it (0.70%). Penta‐, tetra‐, tri‐, di‐ and mono‐phosphates of inositol, as well as inorganic phosphate and inositol, were found in the fermenting cake.