Both the physical and chemical characteristics of flours affect their quality and the subsequent products from them. The comparative evaluation of particle size, moisture content, bulk density, color, water absorption capacity, pasting viscosity, fat and protein contents of wheat, cassava, maize and cowpea flours were determined using standard methods. Composite breads were produced from 50: 30:20, 60:20:20, 70:20:10; 80:10:10, 85:10:5 and 90:5:5 ratio of wheat-cassava/maize-cowpea flours, respectively. Breads produced were subjected to sensory and proximate analyses. The particle size, moisture content, bulk density, water absorption capacity, fat and protein contents of wheat, cassava, maize and cowpea flours are as follows: 154-343 mm, 13.3-14.9% db, 327.4-497.5 kg/m 3 , 31.9-221.8 g/g, 1.01-2.3% and 2.6-19.39%. Wheat flour had the lowest pasting temperature of 56.1C. Significance differences at P < 0.05 were recorded between most of the properties of the flours. Composite bread of 85% wheat, 10% cassava, 5% cowpea; 90% wheat, 5% cassava, 5% cowpea; and 90% wheat, 5% maize, 5% cowpea were accepted by a sensory evaluation panelist. Substitution with cowpea fruit improved the protein content of the bread. 3 Corresponding

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The physical, proximate and anti-nutritional properties of five accessions of African yam bean (AYB) seeds (TSs 57, TSs 61, TSs 93, TSs 94 and TSs 116) obtained from Genetic Resource Centre (GRC) of International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) were studied and compared. This was aimed at unraveling the nutritional importance of this crop to enhance its production and utilisation. The physical properties investigated include seed size, length to diameter ratio, seed weight, percentage of seed coat, bulk density and loose density. Proximate composition and anti-nutritional factors such as saponin, oxalate, phytate, alkaloids, tannin, trypsin inhibitor and hydrogen cyanide of these accessions processed flours were also examined. The results of physical properties indicated significant differences (P<0.05) among the accessions except accessions TSs 93 and TSs 94 that did not differ in their lengths and diameters and also accessions TSs 61 and TSs 116 did not differ in their thicknesses. Results of proximate analysis revealed that crude fibre, fat and carbohydrate contents of the accessions were not significantly different from one another at (P<0.05) except TSs 94 that differed in its carbohydrate and TSs 116 also differed in its crude fibre from others. Meanwhile, in terms of anti-nutritional factors, there existed no significant difference in saponin contents but there were significant differences in oxalate, phytate, alkaloids, tannin, trypsin inhibitor and hydrogen cyanide among the accessions tested.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) were processed into flours and used to substitute wheat flour for preparation of cookies. The chemical, including proximate composition and anti-nutritional factors, and functional and pasting properties of the blends were determined. Cookies were produced from the blends with 100% wheat flour as a control. The anti-nutritional factors, physical properties and organoleptic attributes of the cookies were evaluated. An increase in the level of cassava flour substitution resulted in a decrease in the protein content of the composite flour. However, addition of cowpea flour resulted in an increase in the protein content. There were significant (p<0.05) reductions in the studied anti-nutritional factors after baking. Cookies from composite flours were not significantly (p>0.05) different from the control in overall acceptability. This indicates the feasibility of producing nutritious cookies with desirable organoleptic qualities from cassava, wheat and cowpea composite flour.