African Journal of Food Science and Technology

Abstract

Cocoyam tubers were harvested, peeled washed and processed by fermentation for 0, 24, 48 and 72 hours and oven dried at 650C followed by milling with the unfermented sample as control. The flour samples were designated as A,B,C, and D with increasing fermentation time. Proximate composition, anti nutritional factors and functional properties of the fermented and unfermented flours were evaluated. Result showed significant difference (p < 0.05) in proximate composition. Fat increased from 1.83- 2.61%, protein 15.61-18.75% and carbohydrate 66.53-71.57% with corresponding increase in fermentation time. While ash decreased from 4.82-1.92%, moisture 10.45-5.15% and fibre 0.73- 0.19% with corresponding increase in fermentation time. Fermentation also reduced significantly all the anti nutritional factors studied. The result indicated alkaloid (0.11-0.03%), phytate (132.0-97.07mg/g), Oxalate (0.95-0.50mg/g), Saponin (0.63-0.13%) and HCN (0.74- 0.01 mg/m) with increase in fermentation time. The results of the functional properties showed increase in viscosity (159.3-380cp) and water absorption capacity (0.21-0.90 g/g) while a decrease was observed in bulk density (0.63- 0.58 g/ml), Gelatinization temperature (84. 35– 83.03 0C) and oil absorption capacity (3. 77- 1.14 g/g). The result has shown that fermentation processing of cocoyam is adequate to increase nutrients, reduced antinutritional factors, improve functional properties and enhance utilization of cocoyam flour in different food systems.