Food Safety and Regulatory Measures

Biography

Biography: T I Mbata

Abstract

Protein-energy malnutrition is a major health challenge attributed on the inappropriate complementary feeding practice, low nutritional quality of traditional complementary foods and high cost of quality protein-based complementary foods. Therefore the study was aimed at formulating a complementary food based on maize and Bambara groundnut with a view of reducing malnutrition in low income families.
Methods: The blends 70% maize, 30% Bambara groundnut were biochemically evaluated for proximate, minerals, amino acids profile, antinutritional factors, and functional properties using proprietary formula (Nutrend) as standard. The effect of some processing techniques of germination, roasting, fermentation, boiling, dehulling, and soaking on the proximate composition were determined. Antinutritional factors, functional properties, amino acids, soluble sugar contents of processed flour were also studied. The microbiological properties and sensory attributes were determined using standard methods. Titratable acidity as well as pH changes was obtained at 12 h interval during fermentation mediated by microorganisms present in the complementary food product.
Results: For Protein, the results were 15.0% for roasted Bambara groundnut maize germinated flour (RBMGF), 13.80% for boiled Bambara groundnut maize germinated flour (BBMGF), 15.18% for soaked Bambara groundnut maize germinated flour (SBMGF); values for maize flour and nutrend had 10.4% and 23.21% respectively. With respect to energy value, RBMGF, BBMGF, SBMGF, maize flour and nutrend had 494.9, 348.97, 356.49, 351 and 467.2 kcal respectively. The percentages of total essential amino acids in the composition of the blends were 36.9%, 40.7% and 38.9% for BBMGF, SBMGF and RBMGF, respectively, non-essential amino acids contents were 63.1%, 59.3% and 61.1% for BBMGF, SBMGF and RBMGF respectively. The mineral content, that is, calcium, potassium, magnesium and sodium, of formulated samples were higher than those obtained for maize flour and nutrend (P<0.05). The antinutrient composition of RBMGF and BBMGF were lower than of SBMGF. Boiling, sprouting, roasting, dehulling and fermentation significantly decreased the tannins and trypsin inhibitor levels. For the functional properties, water absorption capacity was between 2.40-2.81 g/ml, swelling capacity 0.40-0.66 g/ml, bulk density 0.60-0.76 g/ml and oil absorption capacity 1.22-1.40 g/ml for the formulated samples. The rats fed with the control diet exhibited better growth performance such as feed intake (1527 g) and body weight gain (93.8 g). Moreover, the protein quality parameters such as total digestibility, biological value, and net protein utilization were comparable within the same range as that of nutrend. The overall acceptability of SBMGF was rated higher than RBMGF, BBMGF and maize flour, but lower than nutrend. Germination, boiling, soaking and dehulling reduced the content of the flatus oligosaccharide of raffinose, stachyose and verbascose (P>0.05). The contents of other soluble sugars glucose and sucrose were increased by germination (P<0.05) and boiling (P>0.05). For the microbial status, microflora gradually changed from Gram negative enteric bacteria such as E. coli, Klebsiella sp and E. aerogenes, molds such as Aspergillus niger and Penicillium citrinum, lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii and yeast, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae to be dominated by Gram positive lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts. All undesirable microorganisms such as coliforms with count between 2.9 x 102¬¬-1.3 x 102 cfu/ml and molds 1.00-4.00 x 104 cfu/ml which were present at the start of fermentation were totally eliminated by 24 h of fermentation. Yeasts and LAB growth counts in the complementary food varied between 4.44 and 7.36 log cfu/ml. LAB number increased from 5.40 to 7.36 log cfu/ml during fermentation. Yeasts increased from 4.44 to 5.60 log cfu/ml.
Conclusion: Based on the findings the application of Bambara groundnut fortification to traditional foods can promote the nutritional quality of African maize-based traditional foods with acceptable rheological and cooking qualities.