Quality assessment of breakfast gruel produced from sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas), soybean (Glycine max) and carrot (Daucus carota)

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the quality characteristics of a novel and quick breakfast gruel formulated from Sweet Potatoes, soybeans and Carrots, for children between 6 to 23 months contributing to developing nutritious and sustainable food products from locally sourced food materials. The breakfast gruels were formulated by mixing Sweet Potatoes, Soybean and Carrot flours in the ratio of 80:15:5, 70:20:10; 60:25:15 and 50:30:20 to obtain four composite blends designated as S1- S4. Functional analysis was performed on the flour samples before production while Chemical and sensory analysis were conducted on the breakfast gruels using standard methods, and the data obtained were subjected for statistical analysis. The flour blends showed: Bulk Density: 0.526% - 0.64%; Swelling capacity: 2.387 - 1.632; Water absorption capacity: 4.79 g/g - 1.47 g/g; Oil absorption capacity: 1.47 - 1.1 g/g; Foam capacity: 10 - 4.00cm3; and Gelation Temperature: 76 - 48oC. The proximate composition of the breakfast gruel samples showed 10.65%–11.78% moisture, 1.90%–2.59% ash, 1.09–2.96% crude fibre, 14.45–18.25% protein, 3.65–4.68% crude fat, and 61.22-25.42% carbohydrate contents. The ranges for vitamins A, B6, and C were 0.59–1.38, 11.88–54.86%, and 8.84–13.02%, respectively. With an overall rating of 6.73, the blend with 50% sweet potato flour, 30% soybean flour, and 20% carrot flour (S4) was the most preferred. This research showed that novel and nutritious breakfast gruels can be processed from mixes of sweet potatoes, soybeans, and carrot flours, which are readily available and accessible.