Quality changes in cocoyam flours during storage
Abstract Cocoyam tubers were subjected to two processing methods (fermentation and parboiling) and milled into flour. The samples were stored at 25°C, 35°C, and 45°C and analyzed at 2 weeks interval for 8 weeks for their nutritional, functional, and pasting properties. Data obtained were subjected to multiple analysis of variance. Storage period and its interactive effect with the processing methods had significant (P < 0.05) effects on all the nutritional composition of the flour except for the fat content. Water absorption index, wettability, and bulk density ranged from 1.94–2.72%, 25.30–135.50 sec, and 0.48–0.71 g/cm3, respectively. The entire pasting properties were significantly affected by the storage period while the interaction between storage temperature, processing methods, and storage period affected all the pasting properties except the peak time, peak, and breakdown viscosity. This study showed that processing methods storage periods and storage temperatures produced cocoyam flour with different quality characteristics.
Effect of predrying treatment and drying temperature on proximate composition, mineral contents, and thermophysical properties of anchote (Coccinia abyssinica (Lam.) Cogn.) flour
Abstract Anchote (Coccinia abyssinica (Lam.) Cogn.) is an indigenous underutilized but valuable root crop solely consumed in Ethiopia. It is commonly used as occasional food during holidays and as therapeutic food to treat fractured bone or develop strong bone. So far, different studies conducted related to its variety development, nutrition, and anti‐nutrition contents. In this study, attempts were made to investigate the effect of predrying treatments and drying temperature on nutritional composition and thermophysical properties of its flour. A general full factorial experiment with two factors each at three levels used to run the experiment. The proximate compositions, thermophysical properties, and mineral contents were determined using AOAC standard methods; well‐developed model equations; and atomic absorption spectrophotometry, respectively. The ranges of nutrients in mg/100 g DB were as follows: moisture content (MC) 7.37–10.10; protein 3.26–4.80; total fiber (TF) 7.24– 10.76; ether extract (EE) 0.49–0.70, ash 2.96–4.74, total carbohydrate (TC) 80.01–83.66; calcium (Ca) 357.07–482.89; magnesium (Mg) 138.87–222.38; iron (Fe) 10.87–16.00; zinc(Zn) 2.07–2.80; and copper(Cu) 1.90–2.25. The bulk density, specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and thermal diffusivity of the flours ranged in 0.72–0.82 (g/cm3), 1.710–1.780 KJ/kg°C, 0.263–0.273 W/m2°C, and 1.88 x 10–4– 2.12 × 10–4 m2/s, respectively. The predrying treatment and drying temperature significantly affected (p < .05) MC, protein, TF, EE, ash, TC, Ca, Fe, and Zn contents. The thermophysical properties were also affected by the same factors. The flour made from raw anchote dried at 100°C was better in preserving the nutrients and improving its cooking property.
Studies on the composition, quality and processing of triticale. Part II. Mineral composition of grain and flour.
Mineral composition of grain and flour in 14 promising triticale strains from India are reported. The mean values for whole grain, i.e. Ca (0.47 mg/g), P (2.70 mg/g), K 4.60 mg/g, Na (352 micrograms/g), Zn (41.6 micrograms/g), Cu (7.0 micrograms/g), Fe (73.4 micrograms/g) and Mn (33.6 micrograms/g) were obtained as compared to those of flour, i.e. Ca (0.27 mg/g), P (0.97 mg/g), K (1.64 mg/g), Na (231 micrograms/g), Zn (26 micrograms/g), Cu (4.0 micrograms/g) and Mn (10.5 micrograms/g), respectively. These values were found to be considerably higher than those of wheat. Highly significant positive correlations of ash with sodium and zinc in whole grain were observed. In the case of triticale flour, highly significant positive correlations of ash with manganese, phosphorus and potassium were obtained.