Assessment of Nutrient Contents of Modified Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana) Starch

Abstract

Modification processes can change the physicochemical and structural properties of native starch, thereby increasing its industrial applications. Finger millet starch (FMS) was modified with casava starch (CS), guar gum (GG) and xanthan gum (XG) modifiers at the ratios of 95:5%, 90:10%, 80:20% and 75: 25%, for each of the modifier. The proximate and mineral compositions of the modified starch were determined using standard methods. Atomic absorption spectrometry method was used to quantify the mineral contents of the modified starch. Proximate contents of the modified FMS starch varied according to the type of the modifier and FMS/modifier ratios. Concentrations of carbohydrate in CS (66.97±0.03%), GG (64.42±0.05%) and XG (64.64 ± 0.01%) FMS modified starches were highest at 10%, 25% and 5% of the modifier contents repectively. The highest levels of fat in GG (8.91±0.02%), XG (7.89±0.01) and ash (3.55±0.02%) in CS modified starches were recorded when the quantity of the modifiers were increased to 25%. Fatty acid levels in the modified starches varied in the order of XG (7.74±0.03%) at 20% > GG (7.13±0.02%) at 25% > CS (5.14±0.20%) at 10%. At 25% modifier contents, levels of mineral element were highest in the modified CS and GG starches. Modifications decreased Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn, and Cu contents, while the concentrations Na, K, Ca and P increased. The modified starches can be used for production of some foods for specific health purposes.

Evaluation of Nutritional and Sensory Quality of Complementary Food from Selected Spices, Soy and Maize Blends

“…Higher ash content of sample TSOC (5.6%) recorded in the sample with the highest turmeric ratio (10 g) could be due to high ash content in Turmeric compared to sample GSOB (2.9%) of Ginger flour ratio (10 g). Evidence has shown that addition of food ingredients brings about an improvement of the nutritive value of food [21]. This suggests that sample TSOC will provide more minerals in the complementary food than the other samples and is in line with [22].…”