3.3. Sensory evaluation of fermented cotton seeds samples
The results of the sensory evaluation carried out by the 30 panellists are as shown in Table 3. The results indicated that Owoh produced traditionally was rated the best among all the others in terms of the colour and aroma and this was not significantly different from cotton seeds fermented using single starter culture of B. pumilus as well as when combinations of all the four starters were used for inoculation. Also, cotton seeds fermented under controlled conditions when inoculated with single starter of B. pumilus were most preferred in terms of the taste and stickiness and this was not significantly different from cotton seeds fermented spontaneously or traditionally as well as those fermented when combinations of all the four starter cultures were utilised. Owoh produced from fermentation of cotton seeds using the combinations of the three Bacilli spp. was rated moderately in terms of the colour, taste, aroma and stickiness. Owoh produced from fermented cotton seeds using single starter culture of B. licheniformis was also rated moderately in terms of the colour and stickiness, and was not significantly different from Owoh produced from the fermentation of cotton seeds using the three Bacilli spp. as starters. Also, Owoh produced using single starter of B. subtilis and Staphylococcus spp. were rated the least in terms of the colour. Although Owoh produced traditionally was considered the best in terms of the overall acceptability it was not significantly different from samples fermented singly with B. pumilus and with the combination of all the four bacteria.