Evaluation of the nutritional and functional properties of talia made from wheat/sorghum flour blends

Abstract

Semolina (Triticum durum) was blended with sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) flour at different ratios of 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, and 50:50. The blends were used to produce Talia, a local noodle of the northern origin, usually a thin strips of dough locally made from semolina using manual cold extrusion and drying. The flour blends were subjected to functional properties analysis, while the Talia produced were analysed for proximate composition and cooking test. Result showed increase (7.33% - 12.33%) in water absorption capacity and decrease (52% - 45%) in swelling capacity as sorghum level increases in the flour blends. Talia made from the flour composites showed significant (p < 0.05) increases in protein content (10.10% - 10.50%) and crude fibre (1.50% – 1.87%), while decreases were observed in moisture contents (9.86% - 8.00%). Significant (p<0.05) increases in cooking loss (1.37% - 8.2%), total organic matter (1.26 - 2.84) and reduced expansion ratio (3.0 - 2.0) relative to control were also observed in the cooked Talia. Flour blend with 30% sorghum addition showed low water absorption (10.0%), high swelling capacity (50.3%), low cooking loss (6.19%) and total organic matter value ( < 2.1), therefore, could produce acceptable Talia.