Effect of pre-cooking pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) flour on the reduction of dregs in oshikundu

Abstract

Oshikundu or ontaku is a low-or non-alcoholic fermented drink commonly produced in over half of Namibian households on daily basis. It is prepared using water, pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) flour and sorghum (Sorghumbicolor) malt flour. Like many African fermented drinks, oshikundu is a dynamic drink with live fermenting microorganisms that can lead to spoil age of the drink. Thus, the optimal shelf life is not known. The amount and quality of ingredients and conditions of processing are not standardised. Oshikundu has a lot of insoluble solids which tend to settle and form a sediment (dregs) at the bottom. To reduce the amount of dregs, this study used smaller amounts of sorghum malt and pearl millet flour that produced the same volume of oshikundu, as that produced using traditional amounts. The duration of heating pearl millet flour adjunct was also varied to improve the solubilisation of starch but not to change the consistency of oshikundu from the way it is prepared traditionally in households. The amount of total solids in oshikundu prepared in this study was significantly lower from those of common household-made oshikundu.