Evaluation of Nutritional, Physicochemical Properties and Acceptability of Undehulled ‘Ofada’ Rice and Soybean Flour Blends

FALOLA, A.O., OLATIDOYE, O.P., BALOGUN, I.O. AND OPEIFA, A.O
Department of Food Technology,
Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos.
E-mail: arinlinks@yahoo.com
Abstract
The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of soy flour
fortification on the nutritional, physicochemical and acceptability of
rice flour paste (local name: tuwo). Ofada rice was cleaned, sorted and
soaked in water for 12hrs and dried at 600C for 12hrs to produce four
blends with soy-bean flour. Ofada rice was fortified with soybean flour
at 10, 20 and 30% (w/w) with the aim of producing more nutritionally
balanced product (tuwo). The crude protein, crude fibre, and ash
content of the soybean flour supplemented cereal (SBF) increased with
progressive increase in the proportion of soy flour, with the 30% soy
flour inclusion having higher values of 22.4%; 6.2% and 2.2%
respectively, while lowest values we recorded for 100% Ofada rice
(ORF). The carbohydrate content was observed to decrease with
corresponding increase in the percentage of soybean flour in cereal
from 67.85% to 58.63%, swelling power (5.6 to 5.1%) and water
absorption capacity(10.28 to 5.03%). Microbial analysis showed low
mould and plate counts which invariably made it fit for consumption.
The data obtained from the study clearly show the nutritional
potentials of the as alternative food ingredient for protein
supplementation and its reliability as a good source of amino acids for
school children and adults.