Development And Quality Evaluation Of Strips Produced From Sweet Potato And Cowpea Composite Flour

ABSTRACT

Flour blends prepared from sweet potato (Ipomeabatata L) and cowpea (VignaUngiculata) at different proportions were extruded into strips using a locally fabricated and manually operated extruder. The proximate composition of the strips was determined, the functional properties of flour blendes were also determined. The sensory properties of the strips produced were carried out. The sample values ranged from 12.73 to 13.94% moisture, 1.94 to 2. 81% ash, 1.0.5 to 4.05% fat, 1.01 to 2.38% crude fibre, 14. 68 to 17.74% protein and 60.45 to 65.57% carbohydrate. The functional properties of the flour blends were ranging from 0.19 to O.32glml bulk density, 2.11 to 5.05g/ml emulsion capacity, 1.2 to I .44g/g oil absorption capacity, 11.25 to 14.3 lg/ml gelation capacity, 1.27 to 1.30g1m1 swelling index, 13.80 to 20.05% foam capacity, 70.25 to 80.20°c gelation temperature and 1.30 to 1.55g/sec wettability. The result of the sensory evaluation of the different quality attributes based on the nine point Hedonic scale showed that sample 503 was found to be the most acceptable to the panelist.