FORMULATION AND ACCEPTABILITY OF L. TOGOLANA ROOT AS A NUTRACEUTICAL FOODS IN SECURING FAMILY FUTURE FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN RETIREMENT

Abstract

This study focuses on investigating the potential and acceptability of Landolphia togolana as a nutraceutical food through formulation techniques. Two (2) research questions were raised and two (2) hypotheses were formulated and tested at a significant level of 0.05. L. togolana root was prepared in the following ratios: 100:0% (A), 100:0% (B), 50:50% (C), 70:30% (D), and 80:20% (E). The panelists used for the study were comprised of thirty (30) mothers. The sensory evaluation considered parameters such as colour, taste, aroma, and overall acceptability. The Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging effect was also investigated at different concentrations (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 µg/mL). From the results, the mean scores of formulated different levels of functional food showed that 20% of formulations were most preferred in all sensory parameters. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in terms of the level of acceptance of the formulated soup as functional foods. Therefore, 20% of the level of L. togolana root was most acceptable as a functional food in terms of general acceptability. Further results revealed that the inhibition percentage was highest (100.2%) at 100 µg/mL concentration compared with the standard ascorbic acid, with an inhibition percentage of 98.53% at 60 µg/mL. L. togolana has a nutraceutical benefit, particularly for the elderly and retirees who struggle to pay medical bills. Its consumption should be promoted by home economists in order to bring its acceptability into prominence.