Food Technology

In developing countries, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, infant complementary foods are grossly inadequate, the enrichment of maize with horse eye beans is a veritable approach for combating the effects of protein malnutrition. Yellow maize variety and horse eye bean were processed into flour, mixed in the ratios 95:5, 90:10, 85:15 and 100% maize flour and proximate, functional, pasting, antinutritional and sensory properties were evaluated using standard methods. Results of Proximate analysis, functional analysis, pasting characteristics, anti-nutritional analysis and sensory evaluation showed protein, crude fibre and ash increase with an increase in ratio of horse eye bean flour addition. Proximate analysis performed on the samples showed that sample (85:15) has the highest protein content of (12.37%), fat content, (2.77%) and ash content (0:71%). The control sample (100% maize flour) had a high carbohydrates content of (77.32%) and moisture content rage from 4.18 to 4.61%. The functional properties of all samples had almost the same level of bulk density (0.69%). A significant difference was observed in water absorption capacity of the samples (1.5-3.33%) and likewise swelling capacity. Pasting characteristic (peak viscosity, final viscosity and holding strength) also decreased significantly as proportion of horse eye bean flour increases above 10%. The setback value and breakdown viscosity of maize flour containing zero or 5% horse eye bean flour were significantly lower than those containing 10 and 15% horse eye bean flour. Apart from producing a nutritionally balanced amala meal, 10% fortification was more stable against retrogradation and was assessed to be more acceptable in terms of key quality index (texture and colour). Therefore the result obtained revealed that (he proximate parameters of the samples increases as the horse eye beans added increase, which confirm the reality of the enrichment. However, in terms of overall acceptability the blend ratio of 95:5% horse eye bean was the most the acceptable to the panelist <0.05. Apart from adding value and varieties to Ogi meal due to its textural improvement, fortifying maize flour with horse eye bean flour at 5% level would also reduce the problem of food security especially among children in the sub-Sahara region of Africa where malnutrition due to protein deficiency is common and also the utilization of horse eye bean.