Physico-Chemical Properties of Water Yam and Cowpea Flour Blends for Production of Snacks

Aim: The aim of this study is to produce flour from different blend ratio of water yam and cowpea and determination of the physico chemical properties of the snacks produced from the flour blends.

Introduction: Snacks are something consumed occasionally for pleasure rather than for nutritive purpose. They are mainly produced by wheat flour. Wheat flour, the main ingredient for production of snacks are imported and thus, the cost of importation of wheat flour eat deep into the Nigeria economy and has placed a considerable burden on the foreign exchange reserve, in the long run causes increase in wheat products. Furthermore, over consumption of wheat products leads to celiac disease associated with immunological disease of the upper intestine triggered by the ingestion of gluten containing cereals. Production of alternative flour to wheat flour can be a welcome idea. Cereal has high nutritional value and it has an appreciable protein content.

Study Design: The physico chemical analysis was carried out at the biochemistry laboratory of National Root Crop Research Institute Umudike.

Methodology: The water yam (Dioscorea alata) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) flours were prepared and they were used for water yam/ cowpea blend at different ratio of (ie 100%:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40 and 50:50). The 100% water yam was the control sample. Functional properties and proximate composition of the samples were determined.

Results and Discussion: According to the result generated from the sensory evaluation, it was discovered that yam/ cowpea blend in the ration of 50:50, 60:40 and 70:30 were more acceptable than the other samples. This can be related to the high content of cowpea in the samples.

Conclusion: The yam /cowpea blend in the concentration of 50; 50 was more preferred than the other samples by the panelist. As a means of nutritional balance yam fortified with cowpea can boost the protein intake of population consuming yam as its main staple.