Effect of varied flour composition on some nutrient characteristics of cookies from Akidi, wheat and yellow maize composite flour

Abstract

The effect of varied flour composition on the proximate and anti-nutritional properties of high fibre cookies from flour blends of wheat, akidi (black bean) and whole yellow corn was studied using D-optimal mixture design of response surface methodology (RSM) of which ten (10) experimental runs were generated while 100% wheat flour served as control. The cookies were subjected to proximate and anti-nutrient analysis using standard methods. Statistical analysis and optimization of mixture components were carried out using Design-Expert software version 6.0.8 while means were separated using ANOVA. Significant differences were accepted at p<0.01 for regression analysis and p<0.05 for mean separations. The results of proximate composition of the cookies showed significant (P<0.05) difference among the cookies with the ranged of 5.12-6.49% for moisture, 3.53-4.93% for ash, 3.82-5.44% for fibre, 9.84-11.69% for fat, 10.32-18.47% for protein, and 54.28-65.04% for carbohydrate. The anti-nutrients factors of the cookies ranged from 0.07-0.35% for saponin, 0.21-0.56 for phytate, 0.05-0.41% for Trypsin inhibitor and 0.17-0.50 for tannin content. The study revealed that quality and nutrient-dense cookies can be processed from blends of wheat, cowpea and whole yellow corn flour of the proportion (10:50:40) which exhibited high level of fibre, fat, protein and lower level of anti-nutrients as evaluated. Optimization of mixture variables showed that optimal response is generated for flour mixture comprising 10% wheat, 10.89% akidi and 79.11% whole yellow corn with desirability of 55.80%.