Browsing by Author "Zhang, Yuetuan"

The literature review described the importance of folate enhancement to human health especially to coeliac patients with an introduction to folate analysis, pseudocereals and possible fortification methods. The aim of this study was to study the natural folate enhancement methods in pseudocereal matrix. Pseudocereal materials consisted of buckwheat, amaranth and quinoa, each of which was subjected to three different treatments: germination, fermentation and combined treatment. Total folate determination was based on an official microbiological assay method (Lactobacillus rhamnosus ATCC 7469). Germination of pseudocereals lasted for 4–5 days. Fermentation was conducted using either baking yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae ALKO743 or LAB Streptococcus thermophilus ABM5097. All germinated whole grain pseudocereals indeed showed a significant increase in total folate content. Specifically, the increase was 5.4-fold in buckwheat, 5-fold in amaranth and 2.6-fold in quinoa. Fermentation of native pseudocereals also enhanced total folate level. As for the combined treatment, the total folate level of germinated seeds did not further significantly increase or decrease in later fermentation period. Although more studies are needed for processing real pseudocereal foods, our study showed great potential of folate enhancement using germination or fermentation.