Effect of fermented pumpkin seed flour addition on quality characteristics of sorghum, maize-based Agidi

This study evaluated the effect of fermented pumpkin seed flour addition on quality characteristics of sorghum, maize-based agidi. Maize and sorghum grains were  fermented, dried and milled into flour. Pumpkin seeds were boiled, dehulled, dried and milled prior to defatting. Composite flours were developed in the following ratios; 100:0:0; 90:5:5; 85:5:10; 80:5:15; 75:5:20 and 70:5:25 (maize, sorghum and pumpkin seed flour respectively). Physicochemical properties of the flour blends were assessed and agidi was produced. The fat (10.81 ± 0.07), fibre (2.25 ± 0.22), ash (1.61 ± 0.03), protein content (22.25 ± 0.47) and calculated energy value (417.98 ± 1.21) of sample (70:5:25) was highest. The swelling (2.46 ± 0.03) and water  absorption (0.70 ± 0.05) capacity of 70:5:25 blend were significantly different, tannins (1.16 ± 0.01 mg/100 g) and phytates (0.23 ± 0.01 mg/100 g) were least in 90:5:5 and 100:0:0 respectively. The final viscosity was highest in 85:5:10 (275.92 RVU) blend and 90:5:5 blend was most preferred. Conclusively, a formulation of composite flour blends of maize and sorghum with 25% pumpkin seed affects the nutritive quality of agidi – a fermented food eaten mainly in the tropics.Keywords: Agidi, fermented cereals, pumpkin seed, blend formulation, nutrient, acceptability

Influence of cultivar, soak treatment and brine composition on the physico-chemical and sensory qualities of unpeeled whole canned tomatoes.

The effect of cultivar, soak treatment and brine composition on physico-chemical and sensory properties of unpeeled whole canned tomatoes was investigated with a view to understanding the influence of these process conditions on the canned product characteristics. Two tomato cultivars (Lycopersicon esculentum Var. Roma VF and Lycopersicon esculentum var. Ibadan Local) were used. The tomatoes were subjected to 10 min soaking in water or 1% (w/v) calcium chloride (CaCl ) solution before canning in brine of 2 different concentrations (0.1% NaCl, 0.1% NaCl + 1% CaCl , 2 0.1% NaCl + 1.5% CaCl ). The tomatoes were examined after 60 2 days of storage. The canned tomatoes were evaluated for drained weight, titratable acidity, lycopene, ascorbic acid, total solids and pH; and the brine was assessed for soluble solids, turbidity, volume and pH. Aroma, appearance, color and overall acceptability were assessed by a sensory panel using a 9-point hedonic scale. The study revealed that the physico-chemical properties of canned unpeeled whole tomatoes were mainly affected by the differences in brine concentration. The whole tomatoes canned in 0.1% NaCl brine had lower total solids, titratable acidity and ascorbic acid (3.00 g / 100 g, 0.24 g / 100 g and 6.70 mg / 100 g, respectively) when compared to the NaCl + 1% CaCl brine (4.88 2 g / 100 g, 0.32 g / 100 g and 12.50 mg / 100 g, respectively) and NaCl + 1.5% CaCl brine (4.38 g / 100 g, 0.33 g / 100 g and 11.16 2 mg / 100 g, respectively). Sensory scores did not vary (P> 0.05) for the different treatments.Keywords: Whole tomatoes, soak treatment, brine composition, physicochemical properties, sensory analysi