ASSESSMENT OF PASTING PROPERTIES AND ANTINUTRITIONAL FACTORS OF AERIAL YAM AND COCOYAM COMPOSITE FLOURS

Abstract

Aerial yam (Dioscorea bulbifera) bulbs and cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) corms were processed into aerial yam flour (AYF) and cocoyam flour (CF) respectively and used to formulate composite flours blends in the ratio AYF:CF; 100:00 , 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40 and 50:50. The 100% aerial yam flour served as control. The pasting properties and the antinutritional factors were determined using standard procedures. Results of the pasting properties indicates that the composite flours containing 10% cocoyam flour was comparable to other blends trough, final and setback viscosities. The pasting temperature did not differ significantly (P ≥ 0.05) within the composite blends and the 100% aerial yam. The result of the antinutritional factors showed that phytate, saponin, tannin, oxalate and cyanide were low and falls within the acceptable limits for consumption. The study concluded that the composite flours may find relevance in food applications as food thickener and consumption as stiff porridge especially in developing countries.