ABSTRACT

 This study assesses the quality ofwhole meal pap from maize (Zea mays) enriched with soybean (Glycine max). Sprouted soy cotyledons from 12 h tap water steeped, 15 min boiled water, and hand dehulled were blended with cleaned, 72 h steeped and washed maize. Part ofthe blends (100: 0, 90: 10, 80: 20, 70: 30, and 60: 40) respectively for maize and soy cotyledons) were milled into soft paste, sieved and dewatered separately with double layered muslin cloth to obtain hard pastes. The other blends were dried to constant weight at 60 °C in oven, cooled, milled and sieved into flour. With increase in sprouted soybean inclusion, there were significant (p<0.05) nutrient improvement in soy-maize akamu paste and the flour samples. Moisture (50.50 - 54.77%), protein (4.22 - 15.63%), fat (0.34 — 0.98%), fibre (0.29 — 2.09%) and ash (0.71 — 3.88%) increased while carbohydrate (43.95 — 22.65%) and, energy (195.70 - 161.94Kcal) decreased. Bulk density (0.76 - 0.87 g/ml), emulsion capacity (35.49 - 41.87%), and syneresis (7.07 - 7.58 kcal) increased, while viscosity (91.25 - 82.93 pPas) decreased. The total bacteria count sample ranged from 1.21 x 103 to 3.00 x io3 cfu/ml which the bacteria was found higher on the blended samples with sample PAU4 70% maize and 30% sprouted soybean. The fungi count of the sample was observed to increase with in soybean inclusion suggesting the soybean might be a good substrate for fungi growth. 100% maize had the lowest fungi count (1.50 x 102 cfu/ml) while sample PAU4 70% maize and 30% sprouted soybean had the highest fungi count (2.3, x 102 cfu/ml). The total fungi count obtained in this study was found to be lower than 1.0, x 105 to 2.0 x 105 cfu/ml reported from ogi from maize and sorghum malt flours. Gruel from 70% maize and 30% sprouted soybean had the highest appearance score (6.75). Sample 100% maize pap had more acceptability in all the sensory studied. Sample 70% maize and 30% soybean had a better texture score (6.40) than the other samples. Sample PAU4 70% maize and 30% sprouted soybean compared with the 100% maize pap in terms oftaste as there was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the two samples. This means 30% can soybean can be substituted into maize without affecting the taste ofthe pap