Search

Unlocking the potential of legumes through short‐term germination offers an innovative approach to improving the functionality of the resultant flour. This review examines the multifaceted benefits of short‐term germinated legume flour, emphasizing the enzymatic activities that breakdown complex legume compounds into simpler forms and reduce anti‐nutritional factors. This process improves digestibility, nutrient bioavailability, and health‐promoting properties. Furthermore, short‐term germination enhances the techno‐functional properties of legume flours without compromising their quality, avoiding excessive starch and protein degradation associated with prolonged germination. This review also explores the applications of short‐term germinated legume flours in developing nutritious and healthy food products tailored to diverse dietary needs. Subsequent integration of these short‐term germinated flours into food products provides a route for the development of cost‐effective, nutritious, and sustainable options that can address malnutrition and enhance overall well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the potential of annealed Bambara starch as a locally sourced stabilizer for ice cream, aimed at addressing the high cost of imported stabilizers. Annealed Bambara starch, modified at various temperatures (45, 50, 55, and 60 °C), was incorporated into ice cream formulations and compared with ice cream stabilized using xanthan gum and guar gum. The ice creams exhibited variations in percentage overrun (77.03–124.61%), foam stability (90.88–96.61%), viscosity (24.87–33.26%), and melting resistance. Conventionally stabilized ice cream outperformed in overrun, foam stability, viscosity, and melting rate properties. Descriptive sensory tests showed high intensity scores for color, aroma, taste, mouthfeel, and body attributes across all samples, with no weak intensity scores. Considering the performance of conventionally stabilized ice cream, those stabilized with Bambara starch annealed at 45 and 50 °C were recommended as potential alternatives, highlighting the potential of annealed Bambara starch as a cost-effective and locally sourced stabilizer for ice cream. Further studies should investigate the impact of annealing at different temperatures on the structural changes of Bambara starch to gain more insights into its effects on ice cream structure, facilitating its use in other food systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Masa is a traditionally fermented meal usually made from cereals. The aim of this research was to produce an enriched meal from rice and Bambara groundnut. The colour, functional properties and microbial quality of composite blend of rice and Bambara groundnut flour, in the ratio of 100:0, 95:5, 90:10, 85:15, 80:20, were evaluated using standard methods. Sensory properties of freshly made masa and masa prepared from stored flours were also determined. The microbial load of the masa flour blend increased over the storage period. Water absorption capacity, swelling capacity and bulk densities increased, while the oil absorption capacity decreased with the storage period. The objective colour result showed a decrease in the lightness (L*) value. Sensory properties of masa were not substantially altered with Bambara groundnut inclusion, but the ratings reduced with storage. Instant masa may be prepared from flour stored for 4 weeks without considerable changes in quality

Background and Objectives: Dry thermal treatment of wheat modifies the properties of wheat and of flour prepared from it. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of wheat roasting on microstructural properties of wheat grains using confocal laser scanning, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The impact of roasting on the damaged starch contents, the solvent retention capacity profiles, and the pasting properties of the resulting flour prepared from roasted wheat were also studied. Findings: Response surface models predicted wheat roasting at 115°C and 65 Hz (165 s) to enhance flour viscosifying properties. Roasting before milling resulted in grain puffing, slight damage to the starch granule surface, and destruction of the protein matrix, as observed using SEM. XRD analysis revealed that amylose–lipid complexation had occurred. As a result of roasting, the peak, hot paste, and final viscosities of flour from roasted wheat were significantly (p ≤.05) higher than those of flour produced from control wheat. Conclusions: Roasting induces structural changes in wheat. Flour produced from roasted wheat can be used to produce gel structures with increased viscosities. Significance and Novelty: Dry thermal treatment improves the viscosifying properties of flour milled from roasted wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: In the accompanying paper (Part 1), it was reported that forced convection roasting of wheat before milling can be directed to tailor the viscosifying properties of flour. The objective of the present work was to examine the effect of prior wheat roasting on flour proteins. Findings: Effective control of wheat roasting conditions proved to be essential to avoid the irreversible loss of flour functionality as deduced from the flour ethanol and lactic acid solvent retention capacity and mixography data. Response surface models predicted roasting at 108°C and 80 Hz (135 s) to maintain protein integrity. The microstructure of flour and isolated starch as well as X‐ray diffraction patterns revealed starch to be relatively unaffected by this heat treatment. Conclusions: Flour produced from roasted wheat can still be used for products that require the formation of a gluten network. Significance and Novelty: Protein is more sensitive to roasting conditions than starch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in Nigeria, hitting the people in the savannah zones the hardest. This has accounted for child mortality and blindness. Therefore, there is a need to develop vitamin A rich food that is affordable and appealing to consumers. Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) (Ipomoea batatas) is a variety of sweet potato now emerging as an important root crop with the possibility of tackling the problem of vitamin A deficiency. In this study, the physicochemical properties and sensory quality of Kunun-zaki, a non-alcoholic beverage sweetened with OFSP syrup, was compared to the same beverage sweetened with sugar and sugar syrup (100 mL/10 g of sweetener). The result of the physicochemical properties showed that the kunun-zaki samples were not significantly different in their pH and total titratable acidity; with values ranging from 3.93 to 4.0 and from 0.18 to 0.20 g/100 mL, respectively. The kunun-zaki samples were however significantly different in their obrix content. The OFSP sweetened sample recorded the highest obrix value of 15.20o, followed by the sugar sweetened kunun-zaki sample (13.30o) and the sugar syrup sweetened kunun-zaki (11.63o). The result of the sensory analysis showed that the sample sweetened with OFSP syrup had the best sensory attributes. The OFSP sweetened sample also had the best evaluated sensory attributes (colour, flavour, texture, and overall acceptability). The result of this study showed that Kunun-zaki sweetened with OFSP syrup was highly acceptable and could therefore serve as a dietary means of alleviating vitamin A deficiency, especially in the northern part of Nigeria where the local beverage is mostly consumed.

Malnutrition resulting from low protein intake is one of the nutritional problems facing most developing countries including Nigeria. Most proteinaceous food sources are costly and in short supply. 'Wara' is a proteinaceous ready to eat food product made by curdling milk. It does not normally undergo any further safety treatments before consumption. Frequent hawking on our major streets and roads calls for determination of the safety of these products. 'Wara' samples sourced from four different locations each at Ilorin, Kwara State and at Ogbomoso, Oyo State respectively, were analysed for nutritional and microbial safety. Proximate composition of the samples over the period of storage showed that moisture content and carbohydrates increased from 59.69% to 72.00% and from 2.39% to 11.39% respectively, while protein, fat and ash contents reduced from 22.20% to 10.80%, 15.80% to 3.62% and from 2.99% to 0.25%, respectively. Microbial and fungal counts ranged from 2.0 X 102cfu to 6.3 X 105cfu and from 2.0 X 102cfu to 7.1 X 105 cfu, respectively. Klebsiellaand Salmonella species, Escherichia coli and some fungiwere isolated. The study revealed that some of the hawked cheeses were not safe for consumption. Attributable reasons were unhygienic practices of the hawkers or producers and/or lack of requisite preservatives.