Evaluation of complementary foods produced from sorghum, soybean and Irish potato composite flours

Abstract

The nutritive and ready-to-eat complementary foods were formulated from the blends of malted sorghum, soybean and Irish potato flour and evaluated for proximate, vitamin and sensory properties using standard analytical methods. The protein, fat, ash and crude fibre contents of the samples increased significantly (p<0.05) with increased substitution of soybean and Irish potato flours from 9.30±0.02 - 15.15±0.41%, 0.86±0.03 - 2.00±0.14%, 2.45±0.01 – 4.02±0.14% and 2.18±0.03 – 3.66±0.29%, respectively, while the carbohydrate decreased. The control sample (100% malted sorghum flour) had the highest carbohydrate value (77.00+0.72%). The vitamin content of the complementary foods also showed similar increases in ascorbic acid (10.12±0.14 – 22.64±0.11 mg/100g), niacin (2.47±0.01 – 3.18±0.09 mg/100g), thiamine (27.33±1.57 – 41.02±0.78 mg/100g), riboflavin (9.41±0.01 – 10.83±0.08 mg/100g), vitamin A (0.88±0.02 – 10.02±0.14 mg/100g) and folic acid (7.11±0.01 – 10.15±0.09 mg/100g), respectively as the ratios of soybean and Irish potato flours increased in the blends. The colour, taste, mouthfeel and the texture of the control sample were the most acceptable to the judges compared to the samples substituted with soybean and Irish potato flours at different graded levels. Although, it had better consumers’ sensory attributes, it was the least in nutrient contents with the exception of carbohydrate. The study, therefore, showed that the macro and micronutrient contents of the gruels can be improved by substituting sorghum-based traditional complementary foods with soybean and Irish potato flours at varying proportions in the preparation of complementary foods.