ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted to evaluate the nutrient composition of beverages produced from wet and dry tiger nuts which will help to increase the utilization of tiger nuts, thereby reducing the dependence on animal milk. Sequel to this, other products such as vanilla tiger nut milk, ginger tiger nut milk, tiger nut wine and tiger nut coffee was compared with soya bean milk, palm wine and Nescafe. Twenty one (20) panelists evaluated the difference in organoleptic properties using a staff and student panel. The tiger nut was produced using traditional processing techniques such as natural fermentation, drying, blending and roasting. The proximate composition showed that moisture content of tiger nut beverages ranged from (7-88-19.74%), crude protein (6.96-8.37%), ash 90.43-0.67%), crude fibre (0.21-0.27%), energy value (256.57-297.66 kcal) and carbohydrate (2.32-8.37%). Tiger nut beverages contain significant amount of magnesium (50.11-53.02%), potassium (0.68-2.26%), low iron content (2.03-2.06%), zinc (2.81-2.88%), calcium (8.26-8.47%) and sodium content (18.42-18.86%), vitamin B1 (28.52-30.06), vitamin B2 (17.60-20.57), vitamin C (22.45-35.45) and vitamin E (4.03-5.37).Organoleptically, the colour, flavor, taste and general acceptability of milk tiger nut coffee was preferred by the panelists more than the rest of the beverages. From the result, the products blended compared favorably with those of soya bean milk and Nescafe which normally use. Tiger nut and its products could be used to an extent to reduce dependence on animal milk, increase food availability and improve nutritional status of people in the developing countries.