Assessment of Nutritional and Biochemical Properties of Tiger Nut Milk Fermented with Strains of Lactic Acid Bacteria

Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus L.) milk is a plant-based beverage with promising nutritional and functional qualities. This study investigated the effect of both spontaneous and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) consortium fermentation on the biochemical and nutritional profile of tiger nut milk. Fresh tiger nuts were purchased and made into raw tiger nut milk; aliquots were fermented spontaneously at ambient temperature (25–30 °C) for 24 h or inoculated with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) consortium. The consortium was isolated from spontaneously fermenting maize and confirmed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (KY817121) and Pediococcus pentosaceus (NZCP148037). Proximate analyses followed AOAC methods: moisture rose to 24.50%, ash to 0.95% and crude protein to 7.44%, whereas crude fiber, crude fat and carbohydrate decreased markedly (p < 0.05). Mineral content was assayed revealing increases in Ca (2.670 mg/L), K (9.660 mg/L), Na (3.600 mg/L) and P (3.616 mg/L). Free amino acids were quantified showing rises in glycine (3.243 mg), phenylalanine (0.501 mg), cysteine (0.410 mg) and leucine (0.450 mg). Vitamins A and B₁₂ decreased markedly from to 3.559mg and 1.662mg respectively. All data were generated in duplicate, subjected to one-way ANOVA and means separated by Duncan’s multiple range test at p < 0.05. Overall, controlled LAB fermentation outperformed spontaneous fermentation in improving nutritional quality as it substantially enhanced protein content, mineral bioavailability and essential amino acid levels while reducing fat, carbohydrates and heat-sensitive vitamins, emphasizing its promise for developing nutrient-dense, probiotic plant-based dairy alternatives for lactose intolerant individuals and in populations that prefer plant-based diets.