Study on the preparation of bean-mulberry natto and properties of its freeze-dried powder
To develop a novel natto product with enhanced flavor and health benefits,a mixture of soybeans,chickpeas,black beans,and adzuki beans was combined with mulberry powder and inoculating with Bacillus subtilis for solid-state fermentation. A comprehensive quality evaluation system was employed to determine the optimal fermentation process. The nutritional composition,antibacterial and antitumor activities,and gastrointestinal stability of the resulting freeze-dried natto powder were then investigated. Optimal fermentation parameters for the bean-mulberry natto were as follows:mass ratio of soybean to chickpea to black bean to adzuki bean at 10︰4︰3︰3,soaking time of 15 hours,mulberry powder of 15%,steaming time of 40 minutes,Bacillus subtilis inoculation amount of 10%,fermentation temperature of 45 ℃,and fermentation time of 96 hours. The sensory evaluation revealed that the bean-mulberry natto had superior flavor and a higher natto kinase activity compared to commercially available natto products. The freeze-dried powder exhibited antibacterial activity against heat-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-463 breast cancer cells by 29.98%. Furthermore,the natto kinase deactivation rates of the freeze-dried powder in simulated intestinal environments (20.28% after 4 hours and 38.33% after 10 hours) were lower than those observed in a simulated gastric environment.