Nutrient Composition And Organoleptic Attributes Of Gruel Based On Fermented Cereal, Legume, Tuber And Root Flour

Abstract

The nutrient composition and organoleptic attributes of gruel based on blends of 24-hour fermented wateryam (WY), cocoyam (CY), plantain (PT), african yam-bean (AYB), cowpea (CP), pigeon pea (PP) and corn (C) flour were examined. A batch of each food-grain was picked clean, sun-dried, hammermilled into flour(40mm mesh screen) and put in polyethylene bag. Root, tuber and plantain were first peeled, sliced, sun-dried and milled into flour(40mm mesh screen) and also put in polyethylene bag. The flour batches were separately put in a container and were subjected to natural fermentation in de-ionized water in the ratio of 1:3 (w/v) at 28 ± 2 0 C for 24 hours as pilot studies indicated that fermenting beyond this period produced off-odour in tuber, root and plantain. The fermented samples were dried at 55 ± 2 0 C in a drought air oven (Gallenkamp, BS Model 250 size 2 UK), hammer milled into fine flour (70mm mesh screen) and stored in a refrigerator(5 ± 2 0 C) until used for the chemical analysis and production of gruels. The nutrients of the flour were determined by standard methods. The flour was blended in a ratio of 70: 30 to prepare various gruels on protein basis. Legume flour formed 70% of the blends. The C, WY, CY, PT flour formed the other 25, 5, 3 and 2% of the blends, respectively. Corn flour traditionally used to make gruels served as the control. The nutrient levels and organoleptic attributes of the gruels were evaluated using standard methods. The data was statistically analyzed using means, standard error of the means and Duncan's multiple range test to separate and compare means. Fermentation caused increases in various nutrients. African yam-bean, cowpea, pigeon pea, water-yam and cocoyam flour had increases in protein due to fermentation except for corn and plantain. It increased fat only in AYB, CY and PT. Ash and fibre were decreased in all the flour samples due to fermentation. The results showed that the gruel samples made from fermented blends contained various proportions of nutrients that ranged from 18.24-21.34% protein, 1.80-2.61% fat, 1.66-2.86% ash and 73.98-77.14% carbohydrate. The mineral levels were moderate except for phosphorus and calcium that ranged from 360-626mg and 318.20-376.60mg, respectively. The CP 24 C 24 CY 24 PT 24 blend had the highest nutrients except for fat, carbohydrate and copper as against other test blends. The blend that had the highest nutrients had the highest organoleptic attributes. As judged by the results, the blend that had high food potentials could be used as complementary foods.

Biodegradation of Antinutritional Factors in Whole Leaves of Enterolobium cyclocarpum by Aspergillus niger Using Solid State Fermentation

“…Beyond this period, the microorganisms very quickly use up the materials in the medium and growth is slowed down (Iyayi & Losel, 2000). It is also probable that the fermenting micro flora used the nutrients for metabolism or it leached into the fermentation media -a commonly observed phenomenon (Onoja, 2009). …”

Evaluation of Complementary Food Formulated from Local Staples and Fortified with Calcium, Iron and Zinc

“…The high carbohydrate levels for the products might be ascribed to either individual food materials or microflora enzyme hydrolysis via fermentation that led to the synthesis of complex carbohydrates from other nutrients carbon skeletons. The slightly lower values of carbohydrate for some blends could be attributed to its use as source of energy by the fermenting microflora or that the carbohydrate provided the required carbon skeleton for synthesis of other new nutrients particularly, protein [2]. The fibre value of the samples is small and this might be due to different processing techniques that were applied.…”

“…Isoflavones in soybeans are effective in the prevention of osteoporosis via phytoestrogen effects that stop the neovascularisation in ocular conditions [16]. Supplementation of cereal-based foods with legume and plantain for the production of complementary foods to improve their nutrient density has been reported [2,[17][18][19]. This is because legume proteins are high in lysine, an essential limiting amino acid in most cereals.…”

“…The fibre value of the samples is small and this might be due to different processing techniques that were applied. The fairly high level of vitamin C, β-carotene, zinc and iron was due to the effects of foodto-food fortification [2]. The high carbohydrate in plantain could be attributed to the stage (climacteric stage) of ripening.…”

“…In sub-Saharan Africa as in other developing countries, protein deficiency in the diets is common and it is usually associated with deficiencies in calories and micronutrients leading to endemic protein energy malnutrition with its attendant health consequences particularly, in infancy. In Nigeria, the traditional complementary foods (gruel) are mainly porridges from either maize or sorghum or millet which do not satisfy the energy and other nutrient needs of infants [2,3]. The gruel is too watery (liquid gruel) and thus have a low energy density or too bulky (thick porridge), which cannot be consumed in sufficient quantity by infants [4].…”