PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE MODEL OF COWPEA BASED PRODUCTS IN GHANA

An exploratory market study of cowpea products in Ghana using data from case studies of consumers, personal interviews of processors and market surveillance of retail outlets indicated that the cowpea processing industry has low milling capacity, low production level, and few small operators most of whom have been in the business for less than six years. Cowpea flour, the main value added product, is typically sold in bulk or unbranded small packages through retail and wholesale outlets and directly to consumers including individuals, institutions and the catering industry. Although a high proportion of processors are aware of the new cowpea utilization technologies, only a low percentage have capacity expansion plans within the next two years. A large majority is uncertain and a small percentage has no expansion plans in the next two years. Cowpea products are widely consumed but are facing increasing competition from soybean especially in weaning mixes. However, there are several dishes using cowpea flour produced in the household and these provide a varied nutritious diet and have added desirable attributes which include easy cooking, availability, and favorable taste. The cowpea products industry is a nascent industry, apparently in stage two of the product life cycle, the introduction stage, which is characterized by a limited number of competing firms, low profitability, and high prices. The full impact of new utilization technologies will be realized over several years following substantial private capital investments in processing, marketing and strategic promotional activities.Industrial Organization,

Influence of spontaneous fermentation on some quality characteristics of maize-based cowpea-fortified nixtamalized foods

Spontaneous fermentation has been identified to improve the quality characteristics of foods derived from them. When combined with cowpea fortification and nixtamalization, it is expected to improve the nutritional, functional, physico- chemical and sensory qualities of maize based foods thereby improving the qualities as well as broadening the food processing techniques in sub-Saharan Africa. This study was therefore aimed at investigating the influence of spontaneous  fermentation on the functional, physico-chemical and sensory characteristics of maize-based cowpeafortified nixtamalized foods. A 3x3x2 factorial experiment with fermentation time (0, 24, 48 h), cowpea (0, 10 and 20%) and alkaline treatment (nixtamalized and nonnixtamalized maize) was used. Samples were analyzed for pH, titratable acidity and water absorption capacity (27°C and 70°C). The blends were dried using the cabinet drier, milled into flour and processed into a snack food. The cylinder probe test was used in a TA-TX2 Texture Analyzer to measure the  hardness of processed snack foods and sensory analysis was conducted to  determine the acceptability of the snack products. The pH of all the nixtamalized samples decreased with fermentation time and cowpea fortification with concomitant increase in titratable acidity. Cowpea addition caused decreases in the pH from 9.68 to 6.12 in the unfermented nixtamalized samples. Contrary to this trend,  general increases in titratable acidity were observed with fermentation and cowpea addition of the products. The water absorption capacities at both 27°C and 70°C of all the nixtamalized blends generally decreased with fermentation time and cowpea fortification. The texture (hardness) of the formulated products were acceptable. Sensory evaluation indicated that the techniques of nixtamalization, fermentation and cowpea fortification used for the processing of the products did not influence their acceptability by the panel. Nixtamalized maize can therefore be subjected to spontaneous fermentation with cowpea fortification to enhance the functional, physico-chemical and sensory properties of products derived from them, thereby serving as alternative food technologies to maize processing in sub-Saharan Africa.Keywords: Maize, fermentation, cowpea-fortification, nixtamalization, functionalproperties

PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE MODEL OF COWPEA BASED PRODUCTS IN GHANA

An exploratory market study of cowpea products in Ghana using data from case studies of consumers, personal interviews of processors and market surveillance of retail outlets indicated that the cowpea processing industry has low milling capacity, low production level, and few small operators most of whom have been in the business for less than six years. Cowpea flour, the main value added product, is typically sold in bulk or unbranded small packages through retail and wholesale outlets and directly to consumers including individuals, institutions and the catering industry. Although a high proportion of processors are aware of the new cowpea utilization technologies, only a low percentage have capacity expansion plans within the next two years. A large majority is uncertain and a small percentage has no expansion plans in the next two years. Cowpea products are widely consumed but are facing increasing competition from soybean especially in weaning mixes. However, there are several dishes using cowpea flour produced in the household and these provide a varied nutritious diet and have added desirable attributes which include easy cooking, availability, and favorable taste. The cowpea products industry is a nascent industry, apparently in stage two of the product life cycle, the introduction stage, which is characterized by a limited number of competing firms, low profitability, and high prices. The full impact of new utilization technologies will be realized over several years following substantial private capital investments in processing, marketing and strategic promotional activities

Soybean-Enriched Snacks Based on African Rice

Snacks were produced by extruding blends of partially-defatted soybean flour with flours from milled or parboiled African-grown rice. The interplay between composition and processing in producing snacks with a satisfactory sensory profile was addressed by e-sensing, and by molecular and rheological approaches. Soybean proteins play a main role in defining the properties of the protein network in the products. At the same content in soybean flour, use of parboiled rice flour increases the snack’s hardness. Electronic nose and electronic tongue discriminated samples containing a higher amount of soybean flour from those with a lower soybean flour content