నైరూప్య

Preliminary study on the nutritional and functional properties of complementary food from malted millet (pennisetum glaucum) enriched with defatted and protein isolate of fluted pumpkin seed (teliferia occidentalis)

Adeoti OA, Alabi AO, Azeez LA, Adedokun SO

Introduction: The study evaluated the nutrient, antinutrient, mineral and functional properties of malted millet based complementary foods enriched with defatted and protein isolate from pumpkin.

Methodology: The millet grains were subjected to malting process while the pumpkin seeds were defatted and its protein isolated using a standard method. The proximate, antinutrient, mineral and functional properties of the complementary foods were analysed using standard analytical methods. The data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistic and Duncan’s multiple range test to determine the means and standard deviation at significant level of p< 0.05.

Result: The protein content ranged from 8.20 to 17.75 % while the ash and fat contents were 3.31 to 4.98 % and 2.56 to 7.65 %. The energy content was 358.33 to 422.96 Kcal. The tannin and phytate content are 0.15 to 0.50 mg/100 g and 0.55 to 0.96 mg/100 g while the saponin content was 0.30 to 0.69 mg/100 g. Calcium and Potassium content were 80.55 to 139.15 mg/100 g and 375.04 to 467.55 mg/100 g while sodium content was 45.87 to 101.24 mg/ 100 g. Water and oil absorption capacities were 60.44 to 88.92 % and 75.00 to99.10 % while the bulk density was 0.55 to 0.82 g/ml. The swelling capacity and least gelation concentration were 60.00 to 96.87 % and 12.00 to 20.22 %.

Conclusion: The protein, fat and fibre content of the formulated complementary foods increased with addition of defatted and protein isolate of pumpkin. The micronutrient contents also showed a significant increase while the bulk density, swelling capacity and least gelation concentration also showed nutritional adequacy of the foods. Consequently, its application as a complementary food can make a difference in the onset and prevention of protein energy malnutrition among the infants in the developing countries.