Key words: popcorn-based complementary foods, amino acid profi le, nutritional qualityThe aims of this study are to produce and evaluate nutritional quality of complementary foods using popcorn, bambara groundnut and African locust beans.The food materials were fermented, oven dried, milled and sieved into fl our. The fl ours were mixed as follows: fermented popcorn-African locust bean (FPA) (70% popcorn, 30% African locust bean), fermented popcorn-bambara groundnut (FPB) (70% popcorn, 30% bambara groundnut) and fermented popcorn-African locust bean-bambara groundnut (FPAB) (70% popcorn, 20% bambara groundnut, 10% African locust bean). Physicochemical, sensory and nutritional properties of food samples were determined using standard methods.Protein content of FPAB (26.87±1.07 g/100 g) was signifi cantly higher than FPB (20.87±1.02 g/100 g) and FPA (20.49 g/100 g) respectively. For mineral composition, potassium had the highest value in FPA (173.75±0.21 mg/100 g), FPB (157.45±0.25 mg/100 g) and FPAB (132.75±0.15mg/100 g), while copper was the least mineral. The percentage recommended daily allowance (RDA) met by total essential amino acid (TEAA) ranged between 55.99% for FPA and 82.33% for FPB. The predicted protein effi ciency ratio (P-PER) range between 0.54 and 1.43 for FPB and FPAB respectively; while biological value (BV) was between 20.13 and 39.94%. The oxalate, tannin, phytate and trypsin inhibition of popcorn-based food samples was reduced to a minimum level.It could be concluded that FPAB had a better nutritional quality over FPA and FPB using selected nutritional indices; hence, FPAB blends could be used as complementary food for infants. However, nutritional and biochemical studies of the formulations are needed to further substantiate their nutritional potentials.Brought to you by | MIT Libraries Authenticated Download Date | 5/9/18 11:04 PM