Aims: To formulate a readily available complementary food that meets infant nutritional requirements and compares favourably with a popular commercial diet (Nestlé Nutrend) from Brown rice grains (Oryza sativa), African yam bean seeds (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) and pawpaw fruit pulp (Carica papaya). Study Design: The design of the experiment is a completely randomised design (CRD).

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This study investigated the quality characteristics of bread made from wheat, cooking banana and mung bean flour blends. The cooking banana and mung bean were added to wheat flour in different ratios (100%WF:0%CBF:0%MBF, 75%WF:10%CBF:15%MBF, 80%WF : 10%CBF : 10%MBF, 70%WF:10%CBF:20%MBF, 75%WF:15%CBF:10%MBF, 70%WF : 15%CBF : 15%MBF, 70%WF:20%CBF:10%MBF) and were used to produce bread. Bread made from the 100% wheat flour served as the reference. The bread samples were evaluated for proximate analysis, physical properties and sensory evaluation using standard methods. The result of the proximate composition of the bread also showed that the moisture content ranged from 19.00 to 22.42%, 12.35 to 14.29% (crude protein), 7.91 to 10.98% (fat), 0.77 to 5.37% (crude fibre), 1.38 to 1.87% (ash) and 51.29 to 56.48% (carbohydrate). The result of the physical properties of the bread revealed that the weight ranged from 202.43 to 204.17 g, 530.62 to 532.27 cm3 (volume), 2.60 to 2.62 cm3/g (specific volume), 9.84 to 10.92 cm (length) and 7.26 to 7.89 cm (height). The overall acceptability of the bread made from 100% wheat flour was liked very much and mostly preferred by the consumers. Thus, it can be concluded that acceptable bread can be made from the flour blends of wheat, cooking banana and mung bean. The incorporation of cooking banana and mung bean flour blends into wheat flour during bread production could reduce the importation of wheat and contribute to curbing nutrient deficiency in the country; thereby leading to increased cultivation and increased utilization of mung bean and value addition to cooking banana.

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Mayonnaise is an oil-in-water emulsion rich in calorie, micronutrients and fat-soluble vitamins which is produced from dominantly vegetable oil. African pear oil is a highly unsaturated oil, domestically and commercially underutilize with tonnage of postharvest losses. It presently, has little or no industrial attraction for use as commercial ingredient for food production and formulation. The aim therefore is to improve the commercial value of African pear pulp oil for use as a main ingredient in food applications, hence improving its utilization and reducing postharvest losses. Oil was extracted from African pear through Soxhlet extraction using n-hexane as the solvent and the extracted oil was blended with soybean oil in the following ratios: SO100:APO0 (Control), SO0:APO100, SO85:APO15, SO75:APO25, SO65:APO35, and SO50:APO50 for the production of mayonnaise. Some physicochemical properties of the oil blends were evaluated while proximate and sensory properties were also evaluated in the produced mayonnaise. Blending increased theiodine, acid and free fatty acid values of the oil blends and decreased significantly (p < 0.05) the peroxide value. The values ranged from 30.65 to 124.00 g iodine 100g–1, 6.85 to 2.57 mg KOH g–1, 5.03 to 1.91% and 2.62 to 3.50 meq O2 kg–1 for iodine, acid, free fatty acid and peroxide values, respectively. The proximate composition parameters of the mayonnaise samples increased significantly (p < 0.05) after blending. The values ranged from 32.65 to 35.04% for moisture, 1.12 to 1.44% for ash, 30.15 to 37.15% for fat, 1.93 to 2.31% for protein and 25.87 to 34.15% for carbohydrate. Significant improvement was recorded in the values of vitamin E, iodine and viscosity values of the mayonnaise samples after blending compared to the control with values ranging from 4.97 to 22.60 mg 100g–1 for vitamin E, 28.70 to 88.10 g iodine 100g–1 for iodine value and 24.70 to 30.13 Pa.s for viscosity. Sensory evaluation showed that the mayonnaise samples were generally acceptable by the panelists. Conclusively, blending soybean oil with African pear oil up to 50:50 could be used in the production of acceptable mayonnaise with higher fat, protein, ash, vitamin E, iodine value and viscosity, thereby reducing its postharvest losses through improved utilization.