Mycological and Nutrient Profile of Soymilk

Abstract

The mycological profile during soymilk processing, nutrient profile and keeping quality of the milk were
studied. Two moulds–Rhizopus nigricans and Neurospora sitophila were implicated as processing
contaminants. The freshly prepared soymilk was rich in iron, calcium and potassium. Conversely, the milk
contained very low amounts of total fermentable sugar (0.022%). Gas chromatography analysis showed
consequent low alcohol content (4%). An evaluation of the effect of inorganic chemical preservatives on
fungal growth and sensory parameters showed that soymilk fortified with calcium chloride significantly
(P<0.05) enhanced sensory characteristics and exhibited a high inhibitory activity against the moulds–R.
nigricans and N. sitophila, especially at 3.5g/L concentration than other salts. Therefore, calcium chloride
may serve as a better inorganic chemical preservative over sodium salts in soymilk processing for large
scale commercial purposes since it is capable of suppressing mould contamination at the same time
enhancing organoleptic properties.