Microbiological and Chemical Changes during Fermentation of U？ak Tarhana Dough Prepared with Enriched Formulation for Infant Feeding

Tarhana is a traditional fermented food that Anatolians have been preparing and consuming for ages. U？ak tarhana is preferred by consumers due to its aromatic properties. Due to its nutritive value and easy digestibility, tarhana has also been an important food in infant nutrition. In this study, the effect of enriched U？ak tarhana formulation for infant nutrition on microbiological and chemical properties was determined. In this study, lentil, carrot and chickpea were added to the U？ak tarhana formulation, which was enriched for infant feeding, and the properties of infant tarhana samples were compared with the control tarhana produced by the traditional formulation. Although the fermentation rate was slowed down in the tarhana doughs enriched for infant feeding, differences in the microbial load and chemical changes from the control group were insignificant. However, rich diverse lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were determined in infant tarhana dough samples at the later stages of fermentation. Lactobacillus alimentarius was detected in infant tarhana dough samples in contrast to the control tarhana dough during fermentation. In conclusion, the enrichment of U？ak tarhana is suitable for infant nutrition