Evaluation of the proximate composition, functional, and pasting properties of ichipipi maize flour

Abstract

Ichipipi food is a traditional meal in Tanzania's southern highlands. In this study, ichipipi composite flour (MD) was produced using maize harvested at two different stages: milk (M) and dough (D) mixed at various ratios. Then, the proximate composition, functional, and pasting properties of ichipipi composite flour were measured using standard methods. The results showed a significant (p < 0.05) change in the proximate compositions of the maize, except for ash content, during drying. The moisture, protein, fibre, and ash contents increased significantly (p < 0.05) by 10.05 %, 12.35 %, 17.67 %, and 10.65 %, respectively, as the maize sample M increased from 10 % to 60 % in the ichipipi composite flour. Convesely, the amounts of carbohydrates and fat were considerably reduced (p < 0.05) by 2.93 % and 10.93 %, respectively, from the ichipipi flour MD1 to MD5. Regarding the functional properties, water absorption and swelling capacities decreased, while the least gelation concentration increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the composite flours MD1 to MD5. However, the results for oil absorption capacity and bulk density revealed no change in the composite flour. Most of the pasting properties exhibited a reduction trend in ichipipi composite flour as the sample M increased from 10 % (MD1) to 60 % (MD5), except for the pasting temperature and time, which remained unaffected (p > 0.05). These findings provide insight into the quality and nutritional aspects of ichipipi composite flour derived from maize harvested at different maturity stages. Hence, the value addition of ichipipi maize flour is emerging as a promising intervention to increase its use in diverse food products while also enhancing food security.