Studies on the Potential of Malted Digitaria exilis, Cyperus esculentus and Colocasia esculenta Flour Blends as Weaning Food Formulation

This work was aimed at evaluating the functional properties of six varying percentage blends of locally abundant, under-utilized crops; malted acha (Digitaria exilis), aya (Cyperus esculentus) and ede (Colocasia esculenta) as a substitute for the traditional weaning food. The results of bulk density and starch digestibility  showed a decrease with increasing percentage addition of  malted acha with values from 5.889 ± 0.98 to 7.953 ± 0.103 and -5.45 to -13.6 respectively. While water absorption capacity, measure of dispersibility, wettability, swelling power, %  solubility increased with increase in percentage addition of malted acha with values from 6.6 ± 0.712 to 8.1 ± 0.1, 2.12 to 37.225, 3.21 ± 0.04 to 3.6 ± 0.03 and 20.64 to 24.46 respectively. There was no significant difference between any of the formulae and the control. Results of pasting properties showed that the peak viscosity, break down, final viscosity and setback values ranges from -0.42 ± 0.085 to -3.67 ± 0.085, 5.63 ± 0.045 to 1.79 ± 0.04, -3.88 ± 0.045 to -1.475 ± 0.275 and 2.17 ± 0.045 to 2.93 ± 0.045 respectively. The formulae compared favourably with the control, a commercially sold weaning food.Keywords: Weaning food, functional properties, under-utilized crops, blends

The potential of agricultural wastes [Pawpaw (Carica papaya) seeds and watermelon (Citrillus lanatus) Rinds] as a protein source for supplementary food production

Extracts of pawpaw seeds (PSE) and watermelon rinds (WRE) were produced and analysed for proximate composition, amino acid profile, protein quality and some biochemical analysis of the extracts were fed to Wistar rats. The pawpaw seeds were scrubbed off, washed, drained and wet milled. The watermelon rinds were sliced and diced into small cubes. They were then washed in water, drained and wet milled. Twenty-five millilitres of each sample was added to 250ml (1:10) of a 5g/L NaCl solution, homogenized and the sediments filtered off with a muslin cloth. The supernatant was acidified with 1% acetic acid, centrifuged at 2000rpm and then filtered. The extract was dried at 600C. The results of proximate composition showed crude protein (35.69 and 24.26%); fat content (7.68 and 5.62%); crude fibre (3.88 and 4.12%); ash content (7.95 and 9.96%); moisture content (1.99 and 1.85%), essential amino acids were leucine (6.89 and 7.24mg/100g), lysine (4.03 and 5.63mg/100g), isoleucine (2.62 and 3.01mg/100g), phenylalanine (4.26 and 3.64mg/100g), valine (3.01 and 3.19mg/100g), methionine (0.91 and 1.23mg/100g), arginine (4.82 and 5.16mg/100g), tyrosine (3.19 and 2.24mg /100g), histidine (2.18 and 2.20mg/100g), threonine (3.19 and 2.89mg/100g). Chemical score showed 1st and 2nd limiting amino acids were methionine and isoleucine. Results of animal experiment showed PER (6.8 and 6.3) were not significantly different to control (6.5). Values of biochemical analysis showed results for haematological indices were PCV (36.5 and 34%), WBC (4.0 and 3.3g/l), albumin (7.8 and 7.4g/dl) and creatine (143 and 124mmol/L). The extracts provided higher quality and quantity protein in relative comparison to most known legumes and oil seeds plants.Keywords: Agricultural waste, chemical score, essential amino acids, pawpaw seeds, watermelon rind