Nutritional Composition of Flour Blends from Water Yam, Yellow Maize and African Yam Bean

Abstract

Adequate and proper understanding of the nutritional composition of different flour materials is important in their use in the production of baked food materials. The proximate composition of water yam-yellow maize and African yam bean flour mixtures was therefore evaluated in this study. Standard procedure for dry-milling unit operation was used in the flour processing. Flour samples were blended in different ratios to form the following composite samples: AFK which comprised of 30% water yam (WY):40% yellow maize (YM):30% African yam bean (AYB); BGL which comprised of 40WY:30%YM:30%AYB CHM comprising of 50%WY:20%YM:30%AYB; DIN comprising of 60%YM:10%YM:30%AYB and control treatment comprising of 100%WY. Crude protein content ranged from 4 to 22.50%; fat content ranged from 1.80%; ash content ranged from 7.00%; moisture content ranged from 6.00 to 10.00% carbohydrate content ranged from 50.43 to 80.90% and energy content ranged from 331.50 to 356.35%ked. Addition of yellow maize and African yam bean statistically (p<0.05) increased the protein, fat, fibre, ash, moisture and energy content of flour blend but statistically (P<0.5) reduced the carbohydrate content. Flour sample DIN found to be adequate for both children and adult consumption of the flour when compared to the Codex Alimentarius Commission [1].