Effect of Natural and Combined Fungi Fermentation on Phytate, Tannin and Some Mineral Contents of Corn Cobs

Abstract

In an effort to reduce competition for our various grains between highly populated mankind and animals; an alternative food source is needed to be sought from agricultural waste for animal feeds. As such, the antinutrients; Phytate, Tannin and some mineral contents of the fermented corn cobs sample were evaluated. Three samples of corn cobs A, B and C were considered; sample A was unfermented , sample B was naturally fermented and sample C was fermented with a mixture of four fungi species namely, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium, Trychoderma and Aspergillus flavus, for 72hours. The phytate and tannin contents of the naturally fermented samples decreased significantly (p<0.05) compared to that of Control. However, only phytate contents of the combined fungal fermented sample showed significant decrease (p<0.05) contrary to its tannin contents with high value. There was also decrease in K content of the sample that was fermented with combined fungi contrary to other mineral contents of both fermented samples that showed significant increase compared to that of unfermented sample. However, Cu and Co were not detected in all the samples. It can be concluded from the study that natural and combined fungi fermentation can be used to reduce phytate while combined fungi species fermentation shows negative effect on tannin contents of the corn cobs waste. It can also be deduced from the study that both fermentation process are capable of improving some mineral contents of the corn cobs maize wastes. The reduction of some of these antinutrients and improvement of some of these mineral contents can make the corn cobs waste to be a better candidate for animal feeds.