PHYSICQCHEM1CAL PROPERTIES OF MACARONI PRODUCED FROM BLENDS OF MODIFIED SWEET POTATO (JPOMOEA BATATAS) STARCH AND MUNGBEAN (WGNA RADITTTA) FLOUR

A study was conducted on the quality evaluation of macaroni from blends of mung bean flour and cassava starch using guar gum as stabilizer. The raw materials; cassava starch : mung bean flour: guar gum were blended to obtain CMG1 (95: 5: 0), CMG2 (89.5 : 10 : 0.5), CMG3 (84 : 15 : 1), CMG4 (79.5: 20 : 1.5), CMG5 (73: 25 : 2) and CMG6 (100 : 0 : 0) respectively and used in macaroni production. Macaroni was also produced from 100% wheat flour which served as control for the experiment. The proximate composition, functional properties, mineral contents, anti-nutritional factors, cooking properties and sensory attributes of the samples were determined using standard analytical methods. The results for proximate analysis showed an increase in moisture (5.00 to 5.55 %), ash (1.50 to 1.85 %), fat (0.65 to 1.75 %), crude fiber (0.85 to 1.60 %) and protein (2.22 to 9.25%) as the level of mung bean flour increased while there was a decrease in carbohydrate content (89.77 to 80.00 %) as the level of mung bean flour increased. The results for functional properties also revealed an increase in bulk density (0.739 to 0.799 g/ml), swelling index (1.18 to 1.50) and emulsion capacity (28.07 to 32.82 %) as the level of mung bean flour increased but a different pattern was recorded for water absorption capacity (2.50 to 1.65 ml/g) and oil absorption capacity (2.70 to 2.10 ml/g) as these were found to decrease as the level of mung bean flour increased in the experimental macaroni samples. All minerals analyzed increased as the inclusion of mung Dean flour increased as well as anti-nutritional factors. The sensory evaluation results showed that sample CMG6 (100 % cassava starch: 0 % mung bean flour: 0 % guar gum) was most preferred by the panelists. An investigation into the amino acid profile of the cassava-mung bean macaroni samples was recommended.