Development of tempeh a value added product from soyabeans and other underutilised cereals/millets using Rhizophus Oryzae PGJ-1

The present investigation was carried out to develop soyabean incorporated cereal/millet tempeh. Rhizophus oryzae was isolated from finger millet porridge and was used as inoculum for developing tempeh. Soyabean alone (control) and soyabeans with other cereals and millets at different incorporation levels were used to develop tempeh. Among different incorporation levels, 1:1 blending of the grains was highly accepted with an organoleptic score of about 98 per cent for the control (soyabean alone) and 97 per cent for maize + soyabean respectively. The biochemical properties of tempeh from various treatments has revealed that the protein content of the control was found to be significantly higher of 48.00g/100g followed by maize + soyabean tempeh of about 38.0g/100g. The highest concentration of calcium, phosphorous, iron, vitamins namely thiamine and riboflavin was found in maize + soyabean tempeh. The study has very well proved that fermentation of soyabeans, cereals and millets by R. oryzae PGJ-1 yielded a well developed tempeh with enhanced nutritional value compared to the traditional starters. This highly nutritious protein food can be popularised among rural folks and the processing technology can be adopted by small and medium scale legume based food industries.