Nutrient and sensory properties of tofu coagulated with tamarind

Abstract

Background: Tofu is an inexpensive, nutritious, healthy meat or cheese substitute with bland taste and porous texture made from soybean. This study was designed to determine the nutrient composition and sensory properties of tofu coagulated with tamarind exposed to different heat treatments.

Methods: Soybean was soaked overnight, washed, milled and filtered to obtain the milk, which was boiled, coagulated with tamarind and exposed to following cooking methods. The samples were subjected to chemical analysis as using procedures described mainly by AOAC. The sensory attributes were assessed using a nine point hedonic scale and compared with the control (deep fried chicken).

Result: Cooking reduced the moisture content of fresh tofu from 82.47 to 20.49% but increased other nutrient contents - crude protein (8.02% to 10.72%), fat (4.74% to 14.47%), ash (0.97% to 2.76%), crude fiber (0.91% to 1.11%), carbohydrate (3.67% to 59.70%) and energy/calorie (89.39kcal/100g in to 378.50kcal/100g). Mineral contents such as calcium (105.23-101.85mg/100g), iron (8.71 to 6.90mg/100g), magnesium (108.03 to 98.84mg/100g), potassium (69.90 to 60.58 mg/100g) and sodium (3.10 to 2.66mg/100g) decreased upon heating. Baked and fried samples had lower phytate (0.52-0.65mg/100g), oxalate (0.43-0.54mg/100g), tannin (0.71-0.86mg/100g) and saponin (0.32-0.47mg/100g) contents. The sensory evaluation showed that microwaved tofu (ex) was highly rated.

Conclusion: Cooking increased the macronutrient but decreased the moisture, mineral and nutrient contents of tofu. Micro-waved products averagely had higher nutrient composition and sensory properties. The low fat/calorie and sodium, and good protein levels of this coagulated tofu makes it a healthier alternative for non-communicable diseases prevention/management.