Kocho Fermentation

Abstract

Kocho, an acidic starchy food, is prepared by fermenting a mixture of the scraping of the trunk and pulverized stem and corm of ensette (Ensette ventricosum). Leuconostoc mesenteroides is responsible for initiating the fermentation. Because of the activities of this species and, to some extent, of Streptococcus faecalis, the pH of the fermenting kocho was reduced from 6˙5 to 5˙6. These organisms were then succeeded by the homofermentative bacteria Lactobacillus coryneformis subsp. coryne-formis and Lact. plantarum. Through the activities of the Lactobacillus species, the pH was further reduced to 4˙2. Pediococcus cerevisiae, although present in kocho, did not achieve prominence because of the relatively low fermentation temperature (14°-18°C). Spore-formers were present in fairly high numbers during the first 15 d of fermentation. It was suspected that the butyrous odour which was detected during the first 2 weeks in fermenting kocho might be due to the activities of certain clostridial species. Yeasts were also present in fairly high numbers.