THESE UNIQUE El Hassane Kéhien-Piho TOU - Nutridev

Projet d’article
(24%) followed by Lb plantarum (14%) and
Pediococcus pentosaceus (12%).
1. Introduction
Numerous fermented foods consumed
throughout the world are cereal-based foods
produced by natural fermentation (Blandino
et al., 2003). Several studies reported that
cereal-based fermented foods have good
nutritional properties (Nout 1991;
Hounhouigan et al., 1993; Kingamkono et al.,
1994; Svanberg and Lorri, 1997) and sanitary
characteristics (Odunfa and Adeyele, 1985;
Nout et al., 1989; Mensah et al., 1991; Lei
and Jakobsen, 2004) attributed to natural
lactic acid bacteria. There are various
indigenous fermented foods and a great deals
of data are available on these foodstuffs: koko
(Lei and Jakobsen, 2004), kenkey (Olasupo et
al. 1997; Hayford et al. 1999), mawè
(Hounhouigan et al. 1993 ; 1994), ogi
(Johansson et al. 1995; Olasupo et al. 1997),
ogi-baba (Odunfa and Adeyele 1985),
hussuwa (El Nour et al. 1999), kisra (Hamad
et al. 1992), kanu-zarki (Olasupo et al. 1997),
kamu (Oyeyiola 1991), ambali (Antony and
Chandra 1997), obiolor (Achi 1990), sigda
(Elfaki et al. 1991) and ben-saalga (Ben
Omar et al, 2006; Tou et al, 2006).
Keywords: pearl millet, traditional
fermentation, complementary food, lactic
acid bacteria, phenotypic characterization
In Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), fermented
gruels traditionally consumed are produced
from millet and are often used as
complementary foods. These millet-based
fermented gruels are called ben-saalga or
ben-kida in mooré (popular language in
Burkina Faso) and koko in dioula. At the
difference of ben-saalga, ben-kida was
characterised by the presence of granules.
Ben-saalga or ben-kida is produced in small
scale producing units which are widespread
in Ouagadougou. These producing units are
often cottage or family micro-enterprises. As
reported by a preliminary survey
(unpublished data), young children preferred
ben-saalga, because it is a thin gruel,
whereas, adults largely consumed ben-kida
for breakfast. Preparation of these gruels is an
old practice well-known by the producers.
Gruels are sold in a ready-to-eat form, early
in the morning in front of the producer’s
homes or on the street. Surveys reported that
49 % of households in Ouagadougou eat
these fermented gruels. In the households
considered as regular consumers, 75 % of
children less than 5 years old are regularly
fed with these gruels (Cerefer, 2003). Study
of the processing of pearl millet into ben-
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