EFFECTS OF FERMENTATION TIME AND BLENDING RATIO ON COMPLEMENTARY FOOD FORMULATED FROM MAIZE, HARICOT BEAN AND COOKING BANANA FLOUR

Abstract

Most complementary foods used in low -income households are often characterized by low nutrient density, poor protein quality, high bulk, low mineral bioavailability, and low energy. Fermentation and blending are an easily applicable approach to improve the nutrient content and organoleptic acceptability of such complementary foods. Therefore, this study aimed to develop nutritionally adequate and organoleptically acceptable complementary food from composite flour. Three fermentation times (0, 24 and 36 hr) and four blends of composite flour consisting of maize, haricot bean, and cooking banana, respectively, in the proportion of 65:20:15, 60:30:10, 50:35:15, 30:60:10 were used in the formulation with 100% maize as control. Fermentation causes significant (P .0.05) reduction in moisture from 9.00 to 6.59%, ash from 2.31to 1.75%, crude fiber from 5.05 to 3.21%, iron from 5.14 to 4.21mg/100g,calcium from 54.42 to 43.75 mg/100g, condensed tannin from 46.93 to 31.32 mg/100g, phytate from 70.24 to 36.99mg/100 , bulk density from 0.90 to 0.59g/ml, dispersibility from 63.59 to 60.72%, and swelling power from 4.55 to 4.38 g/g. On the other hand increment of crude fat from 5.12 to 6.43%, protein from 13.44 to 14.98%, total carbohydrate from 70.14 to 72.07%, energy from 380.39 to 398.83 Kcal/100g, zinc from 4.41 to 5.24 mg/100g, water solubility index from 12.45 to 14.16% and water absorption capacity from 134.38 to 158.40% were recorded as fermentation time increased. The proximate composition of composite flour ranged from 1.19 to 2.87% for ash, 6.93 to 7.50% for moisture, 5.31 to 6.23% for crude fat, 2.71 to 5.71% for crude fiber, 9.35% to 18.28% for protein, 66.04 to 77.16 % for carbohydrate and 385.11 to 395.28 Kcal/100g for energy value. Substitution of haricot bean and cooking banana to maize flour increased in (mg/100g) calcium content from 27.80 to 61.43, iron from 3.50 to 5.69, zinc from 3.07 to 6.24, phytate from 2.04 to 107.21 and condensed tannin from 1.44 to 74.60 in formulated composite flour. Blending ratio significantly (P .0.05) influenced some functional properties of composite flour. Bulk density ranged from 0.71 to 0.75 g/mL, water absorption capacity from 136.11 to 165.72%, dispersibility from 47.06 to71.83%, swelling power from 4.28 to 4.57g/g and water solubility index from 9.81 to 17.18%. The sensory acceptability of complimentary food prepared in the form of porridge was evaluated by panelists. Among all the proportions, 60, 30 and 10% of maize ,haricot bean and cooking banana blends, respectively, fermented for24 hr was organoleptically highly preferred by panelists. Therefore, fermentation and substitution of maize with haricot bean and cooking banana could be, recommended in the production of nutritious and organoleptically acceptable complementary food for older infants and young children.