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Background: African yam bean (AYB) could be processed into value added food products. Processing however affects the chemical, sensory and functional properties of the foods. Objectives: This work determined the effect of processing methods on the proximate composition of African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) flour and the sensory properties of its gruels. Methods: Six kilogram of African yam bean seeds were sorted and divided into 4 portions of 1.5kg each. One portion was washed and fermented without lime for 24h, sundried for 72h and roasted (F24R). The second portion was washed, fermented with lime juice for 24h, sundried for 72h and roasted (FL24R). The third portion was washed, fermented with lime for 48h, sundried for 72h and roasted (FL48R). The last portion was washed, dried and roasted (OR) (the control). The samples were milled into flours and analyzed for proximate composition. Gruels were prepared with the flours and analyzed for their sensory properties. Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze the data obtained. Results: Sample F24R had the highest protein content (33.08%) while FL24R had the least protein content (20.96%) and was followed by FL48R (27.86%). The fat content of FL48R, F24R and OR were 3.68%, 4.90% and 5.49%, respectively. Sample FL24R had higher ash content (4.08%) than the other samples. The control (OR) on the other hand, had the highest fibre content of 6.31%. The fibre contents (4.16% -4.28%) of the other samples were not significantly (p>0.05) different. FL24R had carbohydrate level of 62.26% which was significantly (p<0.05) different from those of the other samples. F24R had the least carbohydrate level of 54.63%. The gruel prepared from FL48R was preferred in colour (6.53) while the gruel from FL24R had the highest score for flavour (6.57). The consistency of all the gruels were similar (6.87, 6.17, 6.13, 6.97) and not significantly different (p>0.05). Conclusion: Alkaline fermentation combined with roasting improved nutrient contents of AYB.

Background: The role of adequate nutrition in national and human development has been recognized; hence nutrition has become one of the global development agenda. This has led to the setting up of global goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Nigeria, with other nations in African have been making efforts towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Aim: This review is aimed at providing update on the nutrition situation in Nigeria with a view to providing recommendations for addressing gaps and barriers that may hinder progress. Materials and methods: Desk review was carried out. Information was obtained from the most recent published national and sub-national surveys, country profiles, reports from ministries and development agencies and individual researches from universities and research institutions. Results: There is limited data to adequately assess the nutrition situation in Nigeria. Despite all the efforts, most of the nutritional indices are below global averages. Nigeria has a stunting rate of 37%, the second highest in the world. Non-communicable diseases are also emerging rapidly as a result of poor intake of foods and dietary components. The high prevalence of malnutrition in all its forms can be attributed to food insecurity, poor infant and young child feeding practices, low socio-economic status, corruption and poor governance, to mention a few. Conclusion: Nigeria is still struggling to meet the 2030 nutrition targets; however, there are opportunities to accelerate progress in tackling malnutrition in all its forms. Keywords: Nutrition situation, malnutrition, dietary intake, food insecurity, Nigeria.

Aims: Legumes, (especially indigenous/ underutilized legumes), have been found to make substantial contributions to nutrient intakes of the populace especially in low resources environments. The African yam bean (AYB) is one of such indigenous legumes with utilization constraints such as hard-to-cook phenomenon, beany flavour, bitter taste and some anti- nutritional factors that limit its utilization. The aims of this study were to determine effect of citric acid treatment and fermentation on the chemical composition of African yam bean (Sphenostylisstenocarpa) and sensory evaluation of its gruel. Methodology: Cream coloured AYB seeds were purchased in Enugu, Enugu State Nigeria. Sorted AYB seeds were washed and fermented in citric acid medium (0.25%, 0.5% and 1%) for 24 h 48 h and 72 h at room temperature (28°C) in a seed water ratio of 1:4 (w/v). The control seeds were fermented without citric acid for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h. After fermentation, each batch of the fermented seeds was divided into two. The first half was dehulled and the other half was left as whole. The fermented seeds were separately dried and milled into flour for further use. Standard methods were used for proximate, mineral and anti-nutrient analyses. Gruels were produced from all the flours and subjected to sensory evaluations using a nine-point hedonic scale. Data obtained were analyzed using a Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compute the mean and standard deviations. Means were compared using the least significant difference (LSD) and significance accepted at P<.05. Results: Chemical compositions of AYB flour fermented in 0.5% citric acid solution showed that protein contents increased by 50%, dietary fibre decreased by 0.02%. Raffinose, stachyose, lectins, trypsin inhibitors, tannins, oxalates, phytates and saponins were all significantly reduced to safe levels. Gruels made from raw and dehulled AYB seeds fermented for 24 h with 0.5% citric acid had higher scores for aroma (7.30 & 7.35, respectively) and general acceptability (7.32 & 7.22, respectively). Dehulled AYB fermented for 24 h in 1% citric acid had the highest score (7.99) for colour. Based on the sensory evaluation results, gruels made from the AYB seeds fermented in 0.5% citric acid compared with the gruels made from AYB seeds that were fermented in tap water. The results showed that gruels made from the AYB seeds that were fermented in 0.5% citric acid for 24 h had higher score for aroma (7.70), colour (7.10) and overall acceptability (7.52). Utilization of AYB in food formulation could be improved by fermenting in 0.5% citric acid solution for 24 h.