The effect of fermentation and drying on the water-soluble vitamin content of tarhana, a traditional Turkish cereal food

Tarhana is a popular and widely consumed traditional Turkish fermented wheat-flour-yoghurt mixture. The effects of fermentation (30 °C for 4 days) and drying (50, 60 and 70 °C) on the contents of several water-soluble vitamins (ascorbic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), thiamine (vitamin B1), folic acid and riboflavin (vitamin B2)) in tarhana, a traditional Turkish cereal food, have been studied. The contents of water-soluble vitamins was analyzed by HPLC. Statistical analysis of the data showed that a 4-day fermentation and drying had a significant effect (p<0.05) on the contents of water-soluble vitamins of tarhana. The fermentation resulted in significant increases of riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, ascorbic acid and folic acid contents of the samples, but no significant differences, with thiamine and pyridoxine. Highest losses of the water-soluble vitamins were at 70 °C for the 35 h drying period.