Abstract
This study investigates proximate composition, antinutritional contents and physicochemical properties of breadfruit (Treculia africana) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) flour blends fermented with pure strains Lactobacillus plantarum (FO-12) for the purpose of developing weaning food for the management of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM). Breadfruit and cowpea flour blends were prepared in various ratios and then fermented using Lactobacillus plantarum. Proximate composition, phytic acid, hydrogen cyanide and oxalate contents were determined. pH and titratable acidity were also determined. A significant increase (p < 0.05) was observed in the ash, protein and fat contents of the fermented flour blend as the amount of cowpea flour increases in the formulation; whereas crude fibre and carbohydrate contents significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Similarly, moisture, protein and fat contents significantly increased (p < 0.05) with fermentation. Significant reductions were observed in crude fibre and carbohydrate contents after fermentation. Fermentation process caused a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the oxalate, phytate and hydrogen cyanide contents of the breadfruit flour blends. The changes observed in the fermented flour blends agreed with significant decreases recorded for pH and increases in titratable acidity. Fermentation improves the nutritional composition of breadfruit-cowpea flour blends for possible use as complementary foods for infants providing PEM management. Key words: Breadfruit-cowpea flour blends, fermentation, Lactobacillus plantarum, weaning food, physico-chemical properties.
Highlights
African breadfruit (Treculia africana) from the mulberry family Moraceace is an important food crop in Nigeria (Ejiofor et al, 1988)
This study investigates proximate composition, antinutritional contents and physicochemical properties of breadfruit (Treculia africana) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) flour blends fermented with pure strains Lactobacillus plantarum (FO-12) for the purpose of developing weaning food for the management of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM)
The moisture, crude protein (N × 6.25), crude fibre, crude fat and total ash contents of breadfruit-cowpea flour blends were determined before and after 72 h of fermentation using the method described by Association of Official Analytical Chemists'
Summary
African breadfruit (Treculia africana) from the mulberry family Moraceace is an important food crop in Nigeria (Ejiofor et al, 1988). Breadfruit powder or flour is reported to contain about 76.7% carbohydrate (Morton, 1987), 17.1% protein, 11% fat, 3.0% ash and 0.1% crude fiber (Akubor et al, 2000). Fermentation of breadfruit with cowpea could be a useful process of improving the health of vast numbers of infants and children at low cost especially in the rural areas. This might offer a significantly cheap and sustainable food process that will reduce micronutrient deficiency.
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