EVALUATION OF PROPERTIES, PROXIMATE COMPOSITION AND SENSORY ATTRIBUTES OF COMPLEMENTARY FOOD MADE FROM FERMENTED SORGHUM, BAMBARA GROUNDNUT AND BANANA

Abstract

The study was a quasi-experimental study design that examined proximate complementary food formulated from banana, Bambara groundnut and sorghum for complementary feeding. The flours (X1: BF 30:BGF45; SGF 35; X2: BF 30:BGF 35; SGF 35; X3: BF 30:BGF 30; SGF 40; X4 BF 30:BGF 25; SGF 45; X5: BF30:BGF 15; SGF 55) of banana, legume and cereals formulated respectively at different ratios of the flours with Banana ratio remaining constant and compared with commercial flour X0 (maize) as control. The formulated complementary meals were subjected to proximate to determine their general acceptability. Two (2) research objectives were adopted for the study. The population of the study was a total of one hundred and two (102) lactating/nursing mothers who are registered in two health care centres in Ibusa, Oshimili North local government area. Delta State. The entire population was used for the study; this is because the study population was manageable. Standardized hedonic scale (score card) was used to elicit the responses of the respondents. All copies of questionnaire that were administered were properly filled and returned for analysis. Data collected were analysed using, frequency, percentage and mean for research questions. Results from the study showed that Treatment X2 and X5 significantly had higher proximate properties than control except for carbohydrate where maize gruel had the highest value on carbohydrate which was significantly the same with other samples (X1–X5). The study concluded that the local formulated diets compared favourably with the control and showed nutritional superiority over the control regarding proximate properties. The formulated diets especially X2 are potential alternatives with respect to maize gruel. It was recommended among others that reformulation and fortification of these local diets especially treatment X2 (BF30: BGF35: SGF35) can provide more nutritious and cost-effective foods suitable not only to meet complementary needs but also rehabilitation diet to malnourished children especially as it was dominant in most of characteristics considered in the study.