EFFECT OF PRE-TREATMENT ON THE NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF CHIN CHIN FROM COMPOSITE FLOUR OF COCOYAM AND VELVET BEAN BLEND

ABSTRACT .This study investigated the effect of different processing methods on cocoyam and supplementation with velvet bean in the production of chinchin at different ratio of 100% wheat flour for sample A, 90% wheat flour + 5% blanched cocoyam flour + 5% velvet bean for sample B and 90% wheat flour + 5% sulphited cocoyam flour + 5% velvet bean for sample C. The samples were subjected to proximate analysis, mineral analysis, functional properties and sensory evaluation. The results of the proximate composition of the chinchin samples showed . - that sample C had the lowest moisture content (6.05%), highest protein (26.89%), highest ash (3.78%), highest fat (6.93%) and highest fibre (4.92%) while sample A had the highest • carbohydrate (81.76%). The result of the mineral composition showed that phosphorus ranged from 112.10 - 351.32 mg/100g. The calcium ranged from 48.05 - 153.47 mg/100g, magnesium ranged from 22.56-27.27 mg/100g, iron ranged from 2.10 - 4.00 mg /100 g, potassium ranged from 52.72 - 125.85 mg/100g and zine ranged from 2.67 - 3.06, mg /100 g. The result of the functional properties showed that WAC ranged from 167.43 - 186.47%, bulk density ranged from 0.56 - 0.80 g/ml and swelling capacity ranged from 1.41 - 1.88% The results of the sensory evaluation showed that the colour ranged from 7.91 - 8.36, texture ranged from 7.64 - 8.64, crunchiness ranged from 7.36 - 8.27, taste ranged from 8.00 - 8.27, flavour ranged from 7.43-8.64, appearance ranged from 8.09 - 8.73 and overall acceptability ranged from 8.00-8.82. This study therefore show that a more nutritious chinchin capable of alleviating malnutrition among young and old can be produced from blends of wheat, cocoyam and velvet bean flour having subjected cocoyam flour to different processing methods such as blanching and sulphiting.