Sensory profiling of plantain-lima bean Momo (A Nigerian food pudding) using chemometric approach

Plantain and lima beans are important food crops with food nutrition security potentials in Nigeria. Plantain-lima bean momo is a nutrient-enriched pudding produced from unripe plantain and lima beans. The study aimed at evaluating the sensory profile of the plantain -lima bean momo to drive its consumers’ acceptability. Plantain and lima beans flour blends of various ratios were processed into momo. The momo samples were presented to panelists for sensory evaluation. Scores were based on nine point hedonic scale. Data obtained were subjected to Principal component and Agglomerative hierarchical clustering analysis. Results show that the addition of more than 20% of lima beans negatively affected the colour, appearance, flavour, texture and taste of the plantain-lima bean momo. PP (100% plantain flour momo) had the strongest positive correlation with appearance and texture. PA (90% unripe plantain flour + 10 % lima bean flour momo) was preferred mostly of all the momo samples in terms of overall acceptability. The principal component analysis (PCA) divided the sensory parameters of the momo samples into five factors with PC1 and PC2 accounting for 96.68% of the variance. Agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) showed that PA and PP have similarities in all the sensory properties evaluated and that addition of 10% and 20% of lima beans to plantain flour did not have negative effect on the sensory characteristics of the product. Lima bean flour could be added to plantain flour up to 20% level for enhancement of momo nutritional quality, while still retaining its organoleptic qualities

Application and Acceptability of Microbiomes in the Production Process of Nigerian Indigenous Foods: Drive towards Responsible Production and Consumption

In Nigeria, the use of microorganisms for food product modulation, development, and commercialization through biotechnological innovations remains unexplored and unaccepted. The microbiome-based sustainable innovation in the production process of Nigerian indigenous food requires a vigorous drive toward responsible consumption and pro�duction. The production process of locally fermented beverages and foods culturally varies in terms of fermentation tech�niques and is characterized by the distinctiveness of the microbiomes used for food and beverage production. This review was conducted to present the use of microbiome, its benefits, and utility as well as the perspectives toward and media�tory roles of biotechnology on the processing of locally fermented foods and their production in Nigeria. With the current concerns on global food insecurity, the utilization of modern molecular and genetic sciences to improve various rural food processing technologies to acceptable foreign exchange and socioeconomic scales has been gaining attention. Thus, further research on the various types of processing techniques for locally fermented foods using microbiomes in Nigeria is needed, with a focus on yield optimization using advanced techniques. This study demonstrates the adaptability of processed foods locally produced in Nigeria for the beneficial control of microbial dynamics, optimal nutrition, therapeutic, and organoleptic characteristics

Microbiological and Sensory Properties of Tempeh as Influenced by Type of Legumes and Storage Temperature

Bambara groundnut and lima bean are lesser-known legumes with high protein content. These legumes were incorporated into tempeh; a soybean-based snack to advance their uses as food. This research studied effects of the legumes on microbiological, physicochemical and sensory properties of tempeh during storage at ambient and refrigeration temperatures. The results showed that the total viable count of bacteria and fungi count of tempeh mash ranged between 6.173 - 7.903 logcfu/g and 6.602-6.799 log cfu/g respectively. The microbial load of the refrigerated fried tempeh snacks was lower than samples at room temperature. Blends of the three legumes (4.079 – 7.297 logcfu/g) had the highest total viable count while lima bean tempeh (3.903-5.602 logcfu/g) had the lowest. Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus coagulan, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus alvei, Bacillus Licheniformis, Micrococcus cryophilus, Propionibacterium species, Rhizopus oryzae, Rhizopus stolonifer and Geotricum sp were isolated from tempeh snacks during storage. The results of the sensory assessment showed that lima bean tempeh snack was the most preferred. This research therefore suggests the use of lima bean and blends of lima bean, Bambara groundnut and soybean in production of tempeh to advance the use of these underutilized legumes and increase food security

Fermented Gluten-Free Multi-Grain Cereal Paste Development: The Role of the Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) as a Dietary Supplement

Vitamin A deficiencies is a becoming persistent among young children and a growing concern to parents in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in crisis-affected areas. Fermented cereal paste from maize, millets, and sorghum grains are significant food for young children. Thus, the study focuses on food fortification using orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) as fortifier as studies have confirmed the presence of nutrients that can help meet the Vitamin A dietary requirement. The cereals were soaked ambient temperature (27 ± 1°C) for 72 hours and were blended with OFSP (90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50), and the formulated products were studied for Vitamin A, β-carotene, proximate composition, physicochemical, functional properties, and storage. Application of OFSP as forticant increased the Vitamin A (4.98-6.65 mg/100 g), β-carotene (0.10-0.17 mg/100 g) and the calorific value (222.03-301.75 kcal) of the gluten-free multi-grain cereal paste. The addition of OFSP also increased the ash content (1.41%-3.35%), crude fiber (2.56%-4.225%), carbohydrate (39.83%-48.35%), total solid content (55.20%-60.87%), and water absorption capacity (112.20%-137.49%) of the formulated cereal samples. The fortified fermented paste was objectively stable throughout on the shelf from the storage studies. The study deduced that addition of orange-fleshed sweet potato to fermented mixed cereal paste as a fortifier can help increase the nutritional quality of the complementary food