Nutritional Fortification of Sunflower Meal by Bacillus Subtilis ATCC PTA-6737 Fermentation

Sunflower meal with 3 mm particle size (SFM) with 66 or 80% moisture content was inoculated with 1x107 cfu (colony forming unit/g) of Bacillus subtilis ATCC PTA-6737 and fermented for 0, 24, 48 and 72 h. The pH was increased from 5.75 to 9.1 of SFM fermented at both moisture levels with no significant changes in organic acid production. The bacterial growth was peaked at 24 h. Dry matter and crude fibre contents of SFM decreased by 10-13 and 18%, respectively. In contrary, the amount of crude protein, crude ash and soluble amino acid nitrogen increased by 36, 61% and 145%, respectively, with no regard to the effect of moisture content. Phytic acid was degraded up to 42% at both level of moisture content. In conclusion, SFM was enriched with ash and protein and lowered in fibre and phytic acid contents, and can be used as alternative feed material in animal nutrition.