Microbiological And Sensory Evaluation Of Tiger Nut Milk Fortified With Vitamin A And Calcium

ABSTRACT

Tiger nut seeds were obtained, washed and processed into tiger nut milk using standard methods. Vitamin A and calcium were used to fortify the milk product. Proximate composition showed that moisture, Ash, Protein, fat and carbohydrate were 80.55% and 81.15%, 0.60% and 0.54%, 0.70% and 0.55% , 3.58 % and 410% , 9.21% and 10.76% for the unfortified and fortified respectively. Mineral composition showed that calcium iron, zinc, phosphorus, sodium magnesium and potassium were 94.58mg/100ml and 240mg/100ml , 5.60 mg/100ml and 4.05 mg/lo0ml , 3.98 mgl100ml and 4.83 mg/100ml , 64.70 mgl100ml and 64.37 mg/100ml, S.54 mgl100ml and 8.94 mg/100ml, 4.38 mg/100ml and 3.89 mgl100ml, 90.89 mg/100ml and 89.10 mg/100ml for unfortified and fortified respectively. The physico-chemical analysis shows the pH gave 6.50 and 6.55, titratable acidity gave 12.98% and 13.16% while total soluble solids gave 13.76% and 13.86%,for the fortified and unfortified tiger nuts milk respectively. Microbiologca1 qualities showed that no bacteria load was detected during the storage for 28 days. However there was increase in mould count from the 22"' day to 28 day (3.9x103to 2.6x103) cfu/ml Sensory evaluation of the tiger nut shows that colors, flavors taste texture and mouth feel and general acceptability were acceptable by the panelists. There was no significant difference (P<0.05) in the texture of the tiger nut milk and peak milk samples. However, there was a significant difference (P>0.05) in the color, flavor, taste, mouth feed and general acceptability of the tiger nut milk, and peak milk samples. The study revealed that tiger nut milk fortified with vitamin A and calcium are of good nutritional qualities and their sensory evaluations gave acceptable product.