Production And Evaluation Of The Physicochemical And Sensory Acceptability Of Complementary Food From Rice (Oryza Sativa) And Soybean (Glycine Max) Sweetened With Dates (Phoenix Dactylifera):- Ogbughalu, Chisom M

ABSTRACT

 This study evaluated the physiochemical and sensory acceptability of complementary food from rice (Oryza sativa) and soybean (Glycine max) sweetened with date (Phoenix dactylifera). \Wholesome rice, date and soybean seed were procured and processed into flours. Percentage (%) flour blends were formulated at the ratio of (75 % rice: 20 % date: 5 % soybean, 70 % rice: 20 % date: l 0 % soybean, 60% rice: 20 % date: 20 % soybean, 50 % rice: 20 % date: 30 % soybean, 40 % rice: 20 % date: 40 % soybean) respectively, while cerelac served as control. Functional properties, proximate. mineral composition, physicochemical. and sensory properties of the formulated complementary food were analyzed using standard methods. The functional properties showed that bulk density, wettability, oil absorption capacity, water absorption capacity, swelling power, solubility index, foam capacity and gclation capacity ranged from 0. 70 to 0. 74 g/ml, 0.10 to 0.14 sec, 1.79 to 2.02 g/ml, 2.02 to 3.01g/ml, 2.59 to 2.93, 23.31 to 32.92 %, 2.26 to 4.84 % and 4.00 to 12.00 respectively. Mineral composition showed that potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium ranged from 158.58 to 250.28mg/l OOg, 1.27 to 9.48 mg/100g, 21.74 to 82.03mg/100g. 19.91 to 62.79mg/100g and 21.95 to 230.62 mg/lOOg respectively. The Physicochemical properties showed that color, viscosity and plH ranged from 30.02 to 60.74, 80.47 to I 35.24 and 5.40 to 6.49 respectively. Proximate results showed that moisture, protein. fat, crude fibre, ash and carbohydrate ranged from 66.25 to 80.12 %, 3.95 to 16.17 %, 0.07 to 1.27 %, 0.02 to 1.44 %, 1.20 to 2.57 % and 5.73 to 16.23 %respectively. A complementary blend containing 50 % rice: 20 % date: 30 % soybean flour had no significant (P> 0.05) difference with the cerelac which is the most preferred. An acceptable and nutritive complementary food comparable to cerelac can be produced froin flour blends of rice, date and soybean which can be beneficial in the prevention of weaning deficiency most especially protein-energy deficiency which results in marasmus, a severe limit of physical growth, mental and intellectual capabilities in infants.