ABSTRACT

This study investigated soaking time (12, 24 and 36 h; 72 h control) and the use of a Lactobacillus plantarum starter culture influence the chemical composition, microbial quality, and functional probiotic traits ofogi (pap) produced from yellow maize. Production involved steeping with periodic water replacement, wet milling, and inoculated fermentation for 12 h. Proximate composition (moisture, protein, fat, fibre, carbohydrate), minerals (Ca, Mg, Na, Fe), microbial counts, and probiotic properties (cell surface hydrophobicity, coaggregation, autoaggregation and acid tolerance) were evaluated using one-way ANOVA and Duncan’s multiple range test (p<0.05). Moisture differed significantly and increased with soaking time (41.33-57.20%), while protein (7.13-8.43%) and fat (1.90-2.67%) showed no significant differences. Fibre varied significantly (0.43-0.60%) and carbohydrate differed significantly (31.17-37.97%), with the 72 h control recording the highest moisture and carbohydrate. Mineral contents differed significantly for Ca (21.83-29.33 mg/100 g), Mg (11.17-15.97 mg/100 g) and Fe (1.07-1.67 mg/100 g), peaking at 24 h; Na showed smaller differences (3.13-3.70 mg/100 g). Microbiologically, total lactic acid bacteria counts differed significantly and ranged from 2.20x105 to 7.73 xlO5 cfu/g, peaking at 48 h, whereas Staphylococcus, coliform and fungal counts remained low. Probiotic assays revealed cell surface hydrophobicity of 14.50-33.30%, higher coaggregation with E. coli in selected isolates (26.07-53.63%), autoaggregation of47.93-63.63%, and acid tolerance with final pH 4.10-4.87. Overall, soaking time modulated water uptake, carbohydrate breakdown and matrix softening, while inoculated fermentation enhanced mineral bioavailability and LAB dominance. A 24-36 h soak with L. plantarum inoculation emerged as the processing window that best balanced nutrient retention, bioaccessibility and safety, whereas 72 h soaking increased moisture and carbohydrate but reduced Ca, Mg and Fe. These findings provide a practical basis for standardizing ogi production from yellow maize using a starter culture to deliver safer, nutritious pap with probiotic functionality