Advances in Food Science and Technology

Advances in Food Science and Technology ISSN: 6732-4215 Vol. 5 (1), pp. 001-005, January, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Protein quality and sensory evaluation of moin-moin prepared from cowpea/maize flour blends

*Owolabi J. K, Nwankwor Philip and Herbert F. Dinkeh

Department of Food Science and Technology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.

Accepted 16 September, 2016

Abstract

The proximate composition, acceptability and nutritional evaluation of moin-moin prepared from cowpea/maize flour blends in the ratio 100:0 (sample A, control), 80:15 (sample B); 75:25 (sample C), 65:35 (sample D), 50:50 (sample E), 40:60 (sample F) and 30:70 (sample G), respectively were investigated. Protein quality was evaluated by feeding 28 days-old weaning albino rats with 10% protein diets formulated with sample A to G, with casein as control diet. The crude protein, fat and moisture content of sample A were 21.89, 15.25, 44.12, 15.40, 9.85 and 36.10% but decreased to 15.40, 9.85 and 36.10%, respectively as the level of maize flour in the blend increased to 70%. Up to 35% of maize flour substitution in the blend produced acceptable moin-moin with sensory properties similar to the traditionally prepared moin-moin. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference for protein efficiency ratio, net protein ratio, apparent and true digestibility of moin-moin at 70% level of maize substitution when fed to rats suggesting an improvement in protein quality of moin-moin prepared from cowpea/maize (30:70 W/w) flour blend but the moin-moin was unacceptable.

Key words: Moin-moin, cowpea/maize, flour, protein quality, sensory evaluation.