Quality and carotenoid compositions of extrudates produced from composite biofortified maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) flours

Abstract

Recently, the extrusion process has been applied to the production of snacks, cereals, and pasta due to the advantages it offers but processing temperature is a critical factor that affects the retention of nutrients in biofortified crops. This study examined the effect of extrusion cooking on the proximate, antinutritional, and carotenoid properties of biofortified maize and soybean flour blends. Samples were prepared by blending maize and soybeans flours in varied proportions (100:0, 90:10, 85:10, 80:20, 70:30) and were extruded at a feed rate of 1.5 kg/h with different temperatures and screw speeds. The extrudates were subjected to proximate, antinutritional, and carotenoid analyses using standard laboratory methods. The moisture content, crude protein, crude fibre, crude fat, and ash contents of the extrudates ranged from 8.89 to 12.91%, 8.21 to 20.61%, 2.08 to 4.64%, 3.81 to 5.90% and 1.62 to 2.37%, respectively. The comparative percentage composition of carotenoids of the flour blends indicated that lutein, zeaxanthin, β- cryptoxanthin, α-carotene, 13-cis β-carotene, 9-cis β-carotene, total β-carotene, total xanthophylls, provitamin A were higher when extruded at lower processing speed and temperature. The antinutrient composition shows a significant reduction in the levels of oxalate, tannins and phytate compared with previous related work. Sample ABM (90:10 biofortified Maize and soybean flours) showed high contents of carotenoid properties and low antinutritional properties and made it better than other samples. The extruded samples are nutritious, and further processing (addition of ingredients) will help derive a new product with increased nutritional quality.

Keywords:

• biofortified maize
• soybean flour
• extrusion
• antinutritional factors
• carotenoids profiling

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

The extrusion cooking is a process in which processing of food material is achieved under the combined effect of temperature, pressure and shear. The extrusion cooking method is preferable to other food processing techniques because of its high productivity and better nutrient retention. This study examined the effect of extrusion cooking on the proximate, antinutritional, and carotenoid properties of biofortified maize and soybean flour blends. The results of this research showed that the extrusion cooking technique could produce products with good nutrients retention from a mix of orange maize and soybean flours that could be used for further product developments. The crop-to crop fortification could be a vehicle to curb the deficiency of essential nutrients and improve diet in developing countries.

Competing Interests

The authors declares no competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no direct funding for this research.

Notes on contributors

M. O Adegunwa

M. O. Adegunwa (PhD) is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

E-mail: [email protected]

J. E Ayanlowo

J. E. Ayanlowo is a Graduate Student in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

E-mail: [email protected]

G. O Olatunde

G. O. Olatunde (PhD) is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

E-mail: [email protected]

L. A Adebanjo

L. A. Adebanjo is an Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism, Federal

University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

E-mail: [email protected]

E. O Alamu

E. O. Alamu (PhD) is an Associate Scientist at the Food and Nutrition Sciences Laboratory, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Southern Africa Research and Administration Hub (SARAH), P.O. Box 310142, Chelston, Lusaka, Zambia.

E-mail: [email protected].