Background: Maize is the most abundant and available component of the locally prepared gruels for human consumption in Nigeria. It has been the basic source of meal for infants and breakfast for the average family. Pap in its current state cannot be stored at home for an extended period of time without spoiling or becoming contaminated.
Aim: The aim of this research was to investigate and compare the effect of fermentation and drying on the nutrient and antinutrient composition of the sieved and unsieved yellow and white maize flour.
Methods: The gains were divided into two portions and fermented for 48hrs. One portion was wet milled and sieved while the other portion was wet milled and unsieved. The slurries gotten were air- dried and sun-dried. The flours were analysis for proximate, vitamins minerals and antinutrient using standard methods.
Result: The study revealed that air dried unsieved yellow maize had an increased in protein, fibre and carbohydrate content of the flours while sun dried unsieved had an increase in fat, and ash. The air dried unsieved yellow flours had an increase in the minerals (calcium, iron and phosphorous) and vitamins (Vit A, Vit C and folate) content increased due to fermentation and unsieving. The tannin, phytate and oxalate levels were drastically reduced in the dried flours.
Conclusion: The yellow fermented unsieved air dried maize facilitates increased accessibility of nutrient and reduced anti-nutrient. Fermented unseived maize flour could therefore be used be adopted for preparation of maize pap.
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