Heat Treatment by Boiling Conserved the Nutritional, Physical, Microbiological and Sensory Properties of Tigernut (<i>Cyperus esculentus</i>) Milk: Implication for Improving Rural Health in Nigeria

Abstract

The health and income of households is important to national development. Sequel to the inadequate and poor electricity supply especially in many low income countries, many small and medium scale enterprises are adversely affected and the household as well as commercial production and consumption of tigernut milk is not exempted. Also, the possibility of preserving the nutritional quality of tigernut milk after production using easy, safe, affordable, available, and cost effective measure other than refrigeration is yet to be ascertained. These are part of the limitations for the adequate utilization of the nutritious tuber towards improvement of public health nutrition among rural dwellers in Nigeria. This experimental study was therefore designed to determine the effect of boiling twice a day for three days after production on the nutritional, physical, microbiological and sensory properties of tigernut milk with a view of encouraging the household and commercial production and consumption of the imitation milk. Tigernut milk was prepared using appropriate method. Sample was taken on the day of production and designated TM0. On the first, second and third day after production the remaining portions of the milk was subjected to boiling (without fully covering the cooking pot) for 5 minutes twice a day and the samples were designated as TM1, TM2 and TM3 respectively. Samples were subjected to proximate, vitamins, minerals analyses while the physical, microbiological and sensory properties were assessed using standard procedures. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare means at p≤ 0.05. The boiling sessions in the course of the 3-day ambient temperature storage of the tigernut milk samples did not adversely alter the proximate, vitamins, mineral composition, as well as the microbiological, physical and sensory properties. As the moisture content decreased significantly with storage period all other components increased. The nutritional quality, physical parameters, microbiological status and sensory properties of tigernut milk were conserved by boiling twice a day for three days and storage at ambient temperature. Household and commercial production and consumption of tigernut milk is hereby encouraged and unavailability of refrigeration facility is no longer a deterring factor.