Fleshed Sweet Potato Flour Amajor, J.U.*, Oti, E., Ekeledo, N., Omodamiro R., Amajor, E.E., Aniedu, C
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View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Elsevier - Publisher Connector Nigerian Food Journal Official Journal of Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology www.nifst.org NIFOJ Vol. 32 No. 1, pages 45 – 53, 2014 Studies on the Characteristic Properties of Fermented, Sun-Dried Orange- Fleshed Sweet Potato Flour Amajor, J.U.*, Oti, E., Ekeledo, N., Omodamiro R., Amajor, E.E., Aniedu, C. ABSTRACT Microbiological, functional, chemical and sensory properties of flours of two (2) cultivars of orange-fleshed sweet potato (centinnial and CIP 440293) being multiplied for distribution in South East and South-South Nigeria were investigated using standard techniques. The flours were observed to have good functional properties and high dry matter contents which were respectively 88.09 ± 0.00% and 86.0 ± 0.00%. The respective values for fat content (0.85 ± 0.00% and 1.75 ± 0.00 %), ash content (2.04 ± 0.00% and 2.40 ± 0.42%) and crude fibre content (2.90 ± 0.28% and 2.67 ± 0.00%) were low but the respective levels of carotenoids values (3.74 ± 0.00 and 5.28 ± 0.00 µg/g) were high indicating a promising source of pro-vitamin A. The sensory evaluation had no statistical difference among the parameters. The flours had high nutritive values with good functional and sensory properties. The microbial loads were within the acceptable limit of < 105 recommended by ICMSF, making the flour samples microbiologically safe and with appropriate packaging, the shelf life could be extended under good storage conditions. Keywords: Orange-fleshed sweet potato, flour, sun-drying, physicochemical properties, functional properties. Introduction population and pressure on land utilization (Woolfe, Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) belongs to 1992). Increased production and consumption the convolvulaceae family and is a root crop cultivated of the oranged-fleshed sweet potato roots rich in in many countries. It is grown extensively in the β-carotene would improve the nutritional status of tropical and subtropical zones (Islam et al., 2002). the Nigeria population. With recent introduction Sweet potato has become an important global of orange-fleshed sweet potato OFSP varieties crop and is grown in diverse ecologies (Firon et al., having high beta-carotene from high land areas 2009) with a long history as a life saver. It has been of East Africa, there has been an upsurge of recognized as having an important role to play in interest to include the roots and leaves as part of improving household and national food security, the food based strategy to compensate vitamin A health and livelihoods of poor families in sub- deficiency in Nigeria. The clamour for the OFSP is saharan Africa (CIP, 2009). This is due to its wide due mainly to the health advantages over the white range of agronomic and nutritional advantages fleshed cultivars. The better health engendered by capable of combating the food shortages, mal- consumption of orange-fleshed sweet potato will nutrition that may arise as a result of increase in ultimately translate to reduced expenditure on hospital bills, provision of sound body to engage National Root Crops Research lnstitute, Umudike, Umuahia, in productive activities leading to more income Abia State corresponding author: [email protected] generation in rural communities (Echendu et al., 46 Nigerian Food Journal Vol. 32 No. 1, 2014 ... Full Length Article 2011). There is need to promote the consumption Research Institute, Umudike, Umuahia, Abia State, of OFSP involving households with young children Nigeria. Two orange-fleshed sweet potato cultivars: in rural areas in Nigeria in regular consumption Centinnial and CIP 440293 were harvested at of OFSP which is rich in β-carotene, significantly maturity from the field trial of the institute. alleviates the vitamin A deficiency in children (Low Processing and storage of orange-fleshed et al., 2007). It is also important to create awareness sweet potato flour on marketing and consumption of OFSP in Fresh undamaged oranged-fleshed sweet potato Nigeria where new ways of consuming OFSP such roots were washed with tap water peeled and as confectionery products; its use in bread making chipped into 2 mm-thickness slices with the use will produce nutritional benefits. Prolonged storage of a manual chipping machine. Fermentation for a is achieved by drying (usually sun-drying) slices. period of 24 h was carried out (Achi and Akubor, During the period of drying, microorganisms settle 2000). After steeping, the chips of each variety on the exposed surfaces of the slices and the high were laid out on clean polythene sheets for sun- moisture of the sweet potato permits the growth drying. Each variety was sun-dried for 6 days with of these microorganisms during sun-drying. Sweet- an average temperature of 32.9oC during the dry potato flours are refined products from sun-drying season. After sun-drying, the fermented chips were which are produced by a milling machine. Orange- pulverized using a milling machine into flour with fleshed sweet potato flour produced by grinding particle size of about 200 µm and the resulting flour dried sweet potato slices could either be used as was sieved with muslin cloth to obtain a fine flour. whole flour or as a composite. Orange-fleshed The flours were properly packaged in cellophane sweet potato flour being a food product with bags (1 kg) per bag, sealed and stored at ambient high nutritional content can harbour a variety of temperature (28 ± 2oC) for 12 weeks (3 months). bacteria including pathogenic and non-pathogenic From which samples were taken for microbial, forms (Berghofer et al., 2003). Micro-organisms chemical, functional and sensory evaluations at can cause diseases and food spoilage whenever monthly intervals. they exceed their threshold as a result of increase in certain parameters such as moisture (Delong, Microbiological analysis 2001). Fresh roots can not be stored beyond three Total viable counts of microorganisms in the months under ambient temperature (Tomlins et orange-fleshed sweet potato flours were done by al., 2007). The processing of the roots into chips pour plate techniques (Morton, 2001). Five grams and flours could extend the shelf life of the sweet of the flours were dissolved in 45 ml sterilized potato for more than three months. There is scanty water to obtain a dilution of 1:10, from which information on the microbial, functional, chemical subsequent dilutions were made and appropriate and sensory properties of fermented and sun- aliquot used to determine the total viable counts dried flours of orange-fleshed sweet potato which (TVC) on Trypton soya agar plates incubated at can be utilized as composite or whole flour. It is 37oC for 48 h while potato dextrose agar plates therefore the objective of this study to evaluate the used for the fungal counts were incubated at 25oC microbiological, chemical, functional and sensory for 72 h. At the end of incubation period, colony properties of the fermented, sun-dried orange forming units (cfu/g) were estimated using colony fleshed sweet potato flour. counter. Colonies were purified by sub-culturing on fresh Trypton soya Agar and gram stained for Materials and Methods morphological examination and biochemical tests Materials (Catalase, coagulase, oxidase, citrate, glucose, sucrose, The study was carried out in the post harvest mannitol, lactose, maltose, and inositol) were done for technology programme of National Root Crops characterization and identification of the isolates, Studies on the Characteristic Properties of Fermented, Sun-Dried Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato Flour ... Amajor et al. 47 as described by Buchanan and Gibbons (1975). Analysis of the functional properties of the flour The colonies of the fungi emerging within 2-5 samples days of inoculation were identified under the light Gelatinization Temperature (GT) microscope (× 40) and recorded using the scheme The method of Onwuka (2005) was used for of Barnett and Hunter (1992). Each experiment gelatinization temperature determination. A 10% was performed in triplicates. flour suspension of each sweet potato cultivar Chemical analyses of orange-fleshed sweet was prepared in a test tube. The suspensions were potato flours heated in a boiling water bath with continuous The flour products were stored at ambient stirring. The temperature at which gelatinization temperature for 12 weeks before samples were taken was observed was recorded as the gelatinization from the stored products for chemical, functional temperature (GT) after 30 sec. properties and sensory evaluation. Oil Absorption Capacity (OAC) The ash, moisture/dry matter, fat and crude fibre The oil absorption capacity of the flour samples contents were determined by the AOAC (2000) were determined using the method of Beuchat methods. (1977) as modified by Adepeju et al. (2011). One gram of each flour sample was mixed with 10 ml Total carotenoids content analysis of oil (pure canola) for 60 sec. The mixture was The Harvest Plus procedure for β-carotene analysis allowed to stand for 10 min at ambient temperature, was used to analyze the total carotenoids content centrifuged at 4000 x g for 30 min and the oil that of the fresh orange-fleshed sweet potato roots and separated was carefully decanted. The tubes were the orange-fleshed sweet potato flour. Five grams allowed to drain at an angle of 45oC for 10 min of each fresh root sample was ground with the and then weighed. Oil absorption capacity was aid of hyflosupercel in 50 ml of cold acetone and expressed as percentage increase of the sample filtered with suction through a Buchner funnel with weight. filter paper; the filtrate was extracted with 40 ml of petroleum ether (P.E) using separating funnel. Water Absorption Capacity (WAC) Saturated sodium chloride solution was used to One gram of each flour sample was dispersed in 10 prevent emulsion formation.