ABSTRACT
Evaluation of nutrient composition and sensory properties was carried out on puddings produced from three (3) different cocoyam varieties (“coco-india”, “ede-ofe” and “ede-uhie”) and water-yam which served as the control. The quantities of ingredients and methods of preparation of the puddings were modified from “A taste of Calabar” selected recipes. The mean weight of each ingredient for each of the pudding were calculated and used in the preparation of the puddings followed by sensory evaluation carried out by twenty-five (25) panelists. Representative samples were taken from each pudding for nutrient analysis. From the results obtained, ede-uhie pudding had higher fat (1.82%), carbohydrate (26.90%) and energy (143.06kcal) content, coco-india pudding had higher content of moisture (65.82%) and crude protein (6.74%), water-yam pudding had higher values for dry matter (27.78%) and crude fiber (1.83%), while ede-ofe pudding had higher content of ash (3.86%). There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the moisture content and dry matter content of the pudding samples. Higher calcium (49.42mg/100g), phosphorus (58.62mg/100g) and potassium (644.08mg/100g) content were obtained in ede-uhie sample. Coco-india had higher zinc (0.91mg/100g) and iron (1.16mg/100g) content. Higher sodium (251.77mg/100g) value was observed in water-yam, while ede-ofe had higher manganese (0.06mg/100g) content. The anti-nutrient levels of the puddings were generally low (within the safe level) and there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the tannin content of the puddings. Coco-india sample had higher values for thiamin (0.038mg/100g) and vitamin E (1.83mg/100g), ede-uhie had higher value for niacin (0.064mg/100g), ede-uhie had higher values for riboflavin (0.022mg/100g), while water-yam had the highest value for vitamin C (20.47mg/100g). There were significant differences (p<0.05) in the vitamin content of all the pudding samples. Coco-india of the Xanthosoma sagittifolium species was mostly preferred in terms of colour, texture, flavour, taste and general acceptability. This study showed that among the puddings analyzed, all had good potentials to contribute to meeting the nutrient requirement of individuals, food diversity, improve cocoyam production and utilization.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE i
CERTIFICATION ii
DEDICATION iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS v
LIST OF TABLES ix
LIST OF FIGURES x
ABSTRACT xi
CHAPTER
1: INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Statement of the problem
4
1.2 Objectives of the study
7
1.2.1 General objective of the study
7
1.2.2 Specific objectives of the study
7
1.3 Significance of the study 8
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
9
2.1 Overview of root ant tuber crops
9
2.2 Description of cocoyam 11
2.2.1 Different species and origin of
cocoyam 11
2.2.2 Production
and distribution of cocoyam 14
2.2.3 Propagation 15
2.2.4 Cultivation of cocoyam 15
2.2.5 Harvesting edible cocoyam 16
2.2.6 Storage technologies in cocoyam 17
2.2.7 Pests and diseases 18
2.3 Cocoyam processing and utilization 20
2.3.1 Increasing cocoyam consumption and
utilization in Nigeria 22
2.4 Potentials of cocoyam 23
2.4.1 Nutritive values of cocoyam
23
2.4.2 Economic values of cocoyam
26
2.4.3 Health benefits of cocoyam
27
2.5 Antinutritional factors in plant
foods
33
2.5.1 Phytates
34
2.5.2 Tannins 35
2.5.3 Oxalates
36
2.5.4 Saponins 36
2.5.5 Gluten
37
2.5.6 Protease inhibitors 37
2.5.7 Lectins
38
2.5.8 Antinutritional factors in cocoyam 38
2.6 Phytochemicals in plant foods 39
2.6.1 Phenols
40
2.6.2 Terpenes
41
2.6.3 Thiols
43
2.6.4 Phytic acids
43
2.6.5 Phytosterols
43
2.6.6 Protease inhibitors
44
2.6.7 Phytochemicals in cocoyam 44
2.7 Sensory or organoleptic evaluation
45
2.7.1 Sensory characteristics
46
2.7.2 Hedonic scale
47
2.7.3 Panellists 47
2.7.4 Testing environments
48
CHAPTER 3:
MATERIALS AND METHOD 50
3.1 Study design 50
3.2 Sample collection 50
3.2.1 Source of raw materials 50
3.3 Sample preparation
51
3.3.1 Preparation of the pudding 51
3.3.2 Preparation of sample for chemical
analysis 55
3.4 Chemical analysis 56
3.4.1 Proximate composition 56
3.4.2 Mineral analysis 61
3.4.3 Vitamin analysis
64
3.4.4 Anti-nutritional analysis 69
3.5 Sensory evaluation of the pudding
77
3.6 Statistical analysis 78
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 79
4.1 Proximate and Energy composition of the pudding 79
4.2 Mineral composition of the samples 85
4.3 Vitamin content of the pudding samples 94
4.4 Antinutritional factors in the pudding
samples 99
4.5 Phytochemicals in the pudding samples 102
4.6 Sensory scores of the pudding samples 104
CHAPTER
FIVE: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 108
5.1 Conclusion 108
5.2 Recommendation 109
REFRENCES 111
Appendix I
129
Appendix II 130
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1 World production of edible aroids (cocoyam) 14
Table 2.2 Proximate content of cocoyam per 100g 24
Table 2.3 Mineral content of cocoyam per 100g 25
Table 2.4 Vitamin content of cocoyam per 100g 25
Table 3.1 Recipe for the pudding 55
Table 4.1 Energy and Proximate composition of the
puddings 80
Table 4.2 Mineral composition of the samples 86
Table 4.3 Vitamin composition of the pudding 95
Table 4.4 Antinutritional factors in the samples 100
Table 4.5 Phytochemicals in the samples
103
Table 4.6 Sensory evaluation of the pudding 105
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 3.1 Flow
chart for sample preparation 53
Figure 3.2 Flow
chart for preparation of the pudding 54
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
In Nigeria, it is estimated that malnutrition
contributes to over 50% to mortality among children aged under five years (UNICEF,
2006). According to the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS, 2013),
29% of Nigeria children under five years are considered underweight
(weight-for-age), 18% are wasted (weight-for-height) and 37% are stunted
(height-for-age). Nigeria was reported to be among the ten countries in the
world with the largest number of underweight children with an estimated 6
million children under five who are underweight (UNICEF, 2006).
Malnutrition (under nutrition and over nutrition)
occurs when the body contains an insufficient, excessive or imbalance of
nutrients (WHO, 2006). Malnutrition (under nutrition) has been identified as
the major cause of health problem in Nigeria and the immediate cause are
attributed to inadequate dietary intake and diseases (UNICEF, 2014). Other
causes of malnutrition particularly to children include infectious diseases
such as diarrhoea diseases and acute respiratory diseases in developing
countries (UNICEF, 2014).
Plants since history have been the major source of
food to man and it ranges from high carbohydrate foods to rich protein sources
(Okaka, 1997). Foods from plants include grains (cereal grains and grain
legumes), roots and tubers (Okaka, 1997). Among these plant foods, cereals,
legumes and tubers are mostly consumed by human beings because of their
availability. Root and tuber crops which are among the most important groups of
the staple foods in many tropical African countries (Osagie, 1998), constitutes
the largest source of calories for Nigeria population (Olaniyan et al., 2001). The food commodities that
make up root and tuber crops are Cassava (Manihot
esculenta), Potato (Solanum tuberosum), Sweet potato (Ipomoea
batatas), Yam (Discorea spp), Cocoyam (Colocasia
esculenta and Xanthosoma spp), and
Andean root and tuber crops (several genera) (FAO, 1990).
Cocoyam originated from Asia and about forty (40)
species are mostly grown in West Africa (Asumugha and Mbanasor, 2002). Cocoyam
ranks third in importance after cassava and yam among the root and tuber crops
that are cultivated and consumed in rural areas in Nigeria (Okoye et al., 2008). Cocoyam is a generic term
for both Xanthosoma and Colocasia. It is a food security crop
variously grown by poor farmers especially women who often intercrop it with
yam, maize, plantain, banana, vegetable (Ikwelle et al., 2003). Food security crops are crops sold in markets to
improve food security at household level in developing countries. Food security
exists when all people at all times have physical and economic access to
sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food
preferences for an active and healthy life (FAO, 2012). In the traditional
farming system women "own" and plant cocoyam after the men have
planted their yam, hence it is regarded as a women's crop (Igbokwe, 2004).
Cocoyam possesses high nutritional values when
compared with others like yam and cassava, with substantial vitamin, mineral
and proteinous contents (Ndabikunze et al.,
2011). As a relatively well-known staple crop in the under developed and
developing countries, it can serve as a weaning food and its leaves are
sometimes used as vegetables for cooking. Cocoyam is a great source of dietary
fiber and starch that can generate energy to the body (Ndabikunze et al.,
2011). Studies have shown that cocoyam production has tremendously increased
from the 1990s till date and this number is expected to increase more (Okpara,
2015).
Cocoyam can be consumed in different ways through
roasting, cooking, frying, baking, pounding and milling. Cocoyam can also be
processed into various food products used for industrial and culinary purposes
(Owusu-Darko et al., 2014). The
peeled tubers, after pre-cooking and drying can be used to produce flour,
similar to potato flour which is used in the preparation of soups, biscuits,
bread, beverages, infant foods and puddings (Chukwu and Nwosu, 2008). There has
been interest in the use of cocoyam as speciality food in the management of
gluten allergy in infants, and as a cereal substitute in coeliac diseases,
largely because of its exceptionally small starch grains (Chukwu and Nwosu,
2008).
This work is therefore designed to produce pudding
from different varieties of cocoyam.
1.1.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Malnutrition (undernutrition and overnutrition) is
still high and a problem of public health significance as classified by (FAO
and WHO, 2005). Malnutrition (undernutrition) has been identified as the major
cause of health problem in Nigeria (FAO and WHO, 2005). It is estimated that
two-third of death among under five children in the world are related to
feeding factors which is directly causing malnutrition and micronutrient
deficiencies (vitamin A, iron, iodine, zinc and other essential micronutrients)
(UNICEF, 2014).
Lack of nutrition knowledge on the nutrient
composition of indigenous foods precipitates wrong choice of food and
malnutrition (Obiakor-Okeke et al.,
2014). It is known that about 30% of the populations in developing countries
are currently suffering from one or more of the multiple forms of nutritional
deficiencies, especially micronutrient deficiencies (FAO and WHO, 2005). The
major nutritional problems in these countries are insufficient intake of food which
are related to food insecurity, disease, lack of care and excessive or
unbalanced food intake and/or particular dietary constituents (FAO and WHO,
2005). To maintain optimal nutritional status, an individual must consume diets
adequate in quality and quantity (Obiakor-Okeke et al., 2014).
Some indigenous roots and tubers such as cocoyam are
no longer favoured in urban homes due to misconception about their nutritive
values. This widespread ignorance of the nutritive value and diversities of
food forms of cocoyam is a major problem for the general acceptability and
extensive production of the crop (Okoye et
al., 2007).
Despite its nutritional qualities and its importance
to livelihoods of many small holder farmers, this crop has received little
attention in research. The research allocation to cocoyam is significantly low
when compared to other crops such as yam and cassava. Technical difficulties
involved in managing cocoyam, especially the post-harvest losses usually not
encountered in the rival crops have made cocoyam comparatively less attractive
especially among the male farmers thereby affecting productivity (Ekwe et al., 1999). Cocoyam production in
South Eastern Nigeria is threatened by some factors such as the cocoyam rot, not
blight complex, high cost of labour which is almost entirely manual (Okoye et al., 2008). Also the preference of
other crops to cocoyam in household production, and consumption decision became
fundamental reasons for its neglect and under utilization. Empirical findings of
earlier research on cocoyam have reported reasons such as high cost of labour
and disease outbreak for decline in output of cocoyam (Dimelu et al.,
2008).
In West and Central Africa, cocoyam is often
associated with low income and socio-economic status, and its production system
is largely an informal activity (Dimelu et
al., 2009). As a result cocoyam is
always considered a "poor man's crop", or a "woman's crop",
as most producers are females (Igbokwe, 2004). Women are the custodians of
cocoyam farming in most African countries, thus improving cocoyam production
should have a direct impact on the economically vulnerable groups.
Hence, there is need for the production of cocoyam for
food diversification to encourage food security. Taking into account the
problem of food insecurity and underutilization of various crops, cocoyam
should be consumed not only in the usual way as soup thickener, boiled,
roasted, pounded, or fried, it can be prepared into pudding for better
consumption by families and even children. This will provide nutrients as well
as variety in family menus.
The above problems motivated the researcher to
undertake the study on the production of pudding from different cocoyam
varieties as well as determine their nutrient composition.
1.2.
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
1.2.1. The General Objective of the Study
The general objective of the study is to determine the
nutrient composition and sensory properties of pudding prepared from different
varieties of cocoyam.
1.2.2. The specific objectives of the study
The specific objectives of the study are to:
1. Identify the different varieties of cocoyam that
are available within Abia state and then selecting the ones to use for the
pudding.
2. Produce pudding from different varieties of
cocoyam.
3. Determine the nutrient composition (proximate,
vitamin and mineral) of pudding made from different varieties of cocoyam.
4. Determine the antinutrients in the pudding of the
different varieties.
5. Determine the phytochemical composition of the
pudding.
6. Evaluate the sensory properties of pudding from
different cocoyam varieties.
1.3.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study will provide information on the chemical
composition of pudding made from different varieties of cocoyam. It will lead
to increase in food availability and diversification which will reduce hunger
and help to improve food and nutrition insecurity.
This work will also be relevant to the nutritionists
and dietitians in educating the public on the importance of consuming cocoyam
and use it in the management of different diet-related diseases. Families with both
low and high income will also benefit because they can grow it in their farms
and complement it with other foods, prepare it into pudding to provide variety
in family menus, as well as using it as weaning food for their children.
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