Comparative Nutrient and Anti-Nutrient Levels in Commercial and Formulated Weaning Mixtures

Home , Antinutrient

BIOKEMISTRI 16(1):15-21 (June 2004) An international journal published by the

Printed in Nigeria N ig erian S oc iety for E x perim ental B iolog y

Comparative nutrient and anti-nutrient levels in commercial and formulated weaning mixtures

Joyce O. AKANINWOR* and Patience N. OKECHUKWU

Department of Biochemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Received 4 February 2003

------

Abstract

The proximate and antinutrient analyses of six diets based on processed sweet potato- crayfish- soyabean/ bambara groundnut mixtures were determined using ‘Nutrend’ as standard. Values for two sources of commercial processed soya bean flours used as protein supplements for infants and children in Nigeria were also investigated. Tannin (as tannic acid equivalent) and phytic acid contents of the ingredients and diets were also determined. Ratios of feed ingredients were formulated to provide 352-391 Kcal/kg energy, 12.03 -17.72% proteins per 100g diet, and to reach and adequate level of NdpCal% of 6.54 -8.02. The proximate analysis of the diets showed that protein value ranged between 7.88 -17.72%, carbohydrate 60.90 – 69.53%, lipid 2.02 -6.49%, ash 1.70 – 5.20%, fibre 0.61 -6.59%, and moisture 7.10 -9 .15%. The anti-nutritional factors analysis showed that percent loss in tannin content of 15. 00% and 51.22% in soya beans and bambara groundnut respectively were achieved and percent apparent loss of phytic acid content of 74.78% and 45.92% for soya beans and bambara groundnut respectively were also achieved. The diets that contained sweet potato – bambara groundnut mixture and sweet potato – soya bean mixture were similar to Nutrend (P> 0.05) in enriched nutrient content while diets containing tannin and phytate levels reduced significantly (P <0.05) to values close to that of Nutrend. These diets can effectively substitute for Nutrend based on their analyzed nutrient and anti-nutrient values.

------*E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 08033405300

15 INTRODUCTION composition of some low cost locally formulated weaning diets in a bid to use them for the Weaning starts at different times in alleviation of malnutrition. different communities and its effects on infants of different socio- economic group also vary (1). MATERIALS AND METHODS Infants of more affluent socio- economic groups Sweet Potato Processing: (lpomoea batata L) in industrialized and developing countries, in The red skinned variety sweet potato absence of breast feeding, suffer no nutritional purchased in Port Harcourt was used. The fresh disadvantage when fed properly constituted and roots were peeled, washed, cut into thin slices hygienically prepared processed commercial 0 and dehydrated in a hot air oven at 70 C for 18 formulas. However, the early abandonment of hours. The chips were then ground into flour breast feeding by mothers among lower socio- using a hand mill, sieved through 710mm sieve economic groups has often proved to be and packed in plastic bags which were stored at disastrous to infants (2). This is as a result of 0 4 C until required for analysis. inadequate financial resources to purchase sufficient formula, and lack of knowledge and Processing of Bambara Groundnut (Voandzeia facilities to follow hygienic practices necessary Subteranca Thonars) to feed infants with breast milk replacements (3). The early discontinuance of breast feeding Undehauled seeds were purchased from by mothers of low income groups in urban areas Nsukka, freed from broken seeds, dust and of most developing countries has therefore been stones and then washed with tap water after a serious concern for some years (4,5). which they were soaked for 24 hours at room temperature. Dehulling by hand rubbing and Breast milk on its own is sufficient for o most infants until 4-6 months of age when they drying in hot air oven at 70 C for 20 hours were continue to grow satisfactorily (6,7). By the age then carried out. The dried seeds were ground with a hand mill, sieved through a 710mm sieve of 6 months, most infants need additional foods, o the purpose of which is to complement the and stored at 4 C in plastic bags until required. breast milk and make certain that the young child continues to have enough energy and Soya Beans Processing nutrients to grow normally (8). This goal is only The soya beans (“Blessed soya beans” achieved when these foods are prepared and fed and “Chima soya beans”) processed by two to the infants under hygienic conditions and different companies were purchased in Port given in adequate proportions. Harcourt and the same method for bambara Malnutrition (often in combination with groundnut was applied except that the soaking infections) is the main factor responsible for the time, drying temperature and drying time were o high infant mortality (9). Most of these infant 12 hours, 70 C and 24 hours respectively. morbidity and mortality could be prevented by improved nutrition, hygiene, housing and health Corn Starch Processing care (10). White maize (Zea mays) purchased from There is urgent need for provision of Port Harcourt, Nigeria was used. The traditional weaning foods rich in protein, low cost and method of “Ogi” preparation was used (13,14). suitable for provision of infants nutritional The flour produced was packed in plastic bags 0 needs. Unfortunately, this is lacking especially and stored at 4 C. in rural parts of developing countries (11). However, it has been suggested that Vegetable Oil more than anything else, lack of information on This was bought from Mile one Market, Port the composition and utilization of the many Harcourt, Nigeria protein and energy sources indigenous to the tropics is the major problem rather than a real Crayfish processing shortage (12). It is in this view that this work has Dry crayfish was bought in Port decided to look into the nutrient and antinutrient Harcourt, further dried in the oven at 70 0C for 2 16 hours and ground into powder. The powder was moisture, ash, fibre, lipid, protein and then used for analysis and diet formulation. carbohydrate contents.

Diet formulation Tannin Determination The various flour preparations were Tannin was extracted with ethyl acetate autoclaved for 15 minutes at 121o C before being using soxhlet apparatus for about 3 hours. The used for diet formulation. Combinations were solvent was distilled off and the residue tested until the following criteria were met; total repeatedly washed with petroleum ether (40–60 calories to approximate to 353 – 391 Kcal/ 100g 0C) until no more colour was extracted. The and NDpCal % to approximately 6.50-8.19 %. residue was then dissolved in 10ml ethyl acetate. High values of NDpCal% were avoided on the To 5ml of the tannin extract were added 5ml ground of cost, the amounts of the expensive Folin-Denis reagent and 10ml of saturated protein supplements being kept to the minimum. sodium carbonate solution. This was diluted to A commercial maize-soya bean weaning 5ml with distilled water and left standing for one formula (Nutrend) was used as the positive hour. The absorbance of the resulting blue control diets while corn starch flour was used as complex was read at 725nm against a blank. the protein free or negative control diet. Table 1 This same treatment was given to the standard shows the percentage composition of tannic acid and the concentration of tannin in the Experimental and Control diets. sample estimate from standard curve as described earlier (15). Proximate Analysis Analyses of all the processed food Phytic Acid Determination ingredients were conducted to be certain that The method used (16) involved ingredients were within the range of values extraction of phytate and its conversion to ferric anticipated. Similar analyses were carried out on phytate, precipitation of ferric hydroxide from each of the test diets, commercial soya bean the ferric phytate, determination of iron in the flours and Nutrend to know the proximate sample and calculation of phytic acid from the resulting iron.

Table 1: Percentage composition of the experimental and control diets. Ingredients Diets (%)

(g/100g Diet) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sweet potato 54.50 43.50 33.00 68.50 53.50 59.00 - - Corn starch 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 98.00 - Crayfish 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 - - Vegetable oil 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 - Bambara groundnut 25.50 36.50 47.00 - - - - - Soya bean - - - 11.50 16.50 21.00 - - Nutrend 100 Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

17 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS legumes, and other food materials, is therefore recommended if they are to be consumed. The proximate nutrient values of Decortication has been found to result in the processed flour samples and test diets as well as removal of 83–97 % tannin. (19,20). Bressani et Nutrend are shown in tables 2 and 3. al (20) however reported apparent losses of 20– Crayfish had the highest protein value (66.72%) 39 % from raw to cooked beans when expressed of all the samples of the raw materials followed as tannic acid. by soya beans (45.83 – 46. 16%) and bambara groundnut 22.42% (Table 2). This study however presents a percent The protein content of the diets apparent loss in tannin content of 15.00% in increased with increasing amount of the legume soya beans and 51.22% in bambara groundnut flours: 12.03%, 15.09% and 17.50% for 25.50g, within the range reported by (21).The tannin 36.50g and 47.00g bambara groundnut – contents of soya beans used in his study were containing diets 1, 2 and 3 and 12.69%, 16.19% similar to values obtained for the commercial and 17.72% for 11.50g, 16.50g and 21.00g soya soya bean samples. This suggests that the bean – containing diets 4, 5 and 6. The processing techniques used in this study preference for soya bean over bambara (soaking, dehulling, drying and autoclaving) groundnut as a protein supplement is very were effective in reducing the tannin contents of evident (Table 2). Sweet potato–bambara the samples. The tannin contents of all the diets groundnut mixture and sweet potato–soya bean were however, also found to be low (0.10– however, contain similar protein values as the 0.70%). Though all the test diets and Nutrend control diet Nutrend. The carbohydrate analysis had similar tannin contents, diets 1-4 and (Table 2) presented sweat potato as containing Nutrend had the least amounts (Table 5). the highest value (82.03%) followed by corn starch (70.31%) and bambara groundnut Phytic acid (61.72%). The soya bean however had similar Various reports have shown that soaking, prior carbohydrate content as the commercial diets. to boiling results in loss of phytic acid from However the range of carbohydrate content in all certain legumes and that the extent of the loss test diets and Nutrend was between 60.94 – depended on the cooking solution or method 69.53%. The Proteins Advisory Group (PAG) of used (22-24). However, Iyer et al (24) observed the United Nations suggested an upper limit of that presoaking and cooking by atmospheric 5.0% crude fibre in supplementary foods while boiling are more effective in reducing phytic Bressani et al (17) suggested a level of acid than autoclaving. Though soaking in tap approximately 8% for weaning foods. However, water prior to drying and autoclaving were the values obtained for these test diets and adopted for processing the samples, percent Nutrend (0.35–6.59%) fell within the apparent loss of 45.92% and 74. 78% for recommended ranges for infants bambara groundnut and soya bean flours respectively were achieved. These are consistent Antinutritional factors with the 20.00 – 80.00% apparent loss observed In addition, the processed samples, unprocessed when peas and lentil were presoaked and boiled bambara groundnut and soya beans flours were (24) and 76.82% when beans are presoaked and analysed for antinutrient levels to access the cooked (21), values obtained for the unprocessed efficiency of the processing methods employed and processed samples are shown in Table 4. in detoxifying the antinutrients present in the The phytic acid content of the processed soya raw materials. Results obtained are shown in bean flour (70.72mg/100g) used in this study Table 4 while the antinutrients found in both the was found to be lower than the values for the formulated and control diets are shown in Table 5. two commercial soya bean fours (171.25mg and

Tannin 138.92mg/100g). This could indicate the Negative correlations between protein effectiveness of the method used. Phytic acid digestibility and tannin content in legumes have levels in all the test diets and control were found been reported (18). A low level of tannin in to be low (27.78 –59.99mg/100g). However, 18 Table 2: Proximate nutrient values* of processed samples. Samples Protein Carbohydrate Fiber Moisture Lipid Ash (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) Sweet potato 3.28±0.00 82.03±0.26 2.49±0.23 7.45±0.30 0.36±0.17 4.40±0.01 Corn starch 6.56±0.00 70.31±0.52 4.27±0.39 8.95±1.20 7.71±0.07 2.20±0.12 Crayfish 66.72±1.54 2.34±0.00 0.13±2.00 10.15±14.4 4.58±0.10 16.8±0.71 Bambara 22.42±0.84 61.72±0.26 0.39±0.79 5.20±0.85 7.97±0.13 2.30±0.58 groundnut Soya bean 45.83±1.34 16.02±028 1.12±0.87 8.40±0.42 22.03±0.86 6.60±0.41 Blessed 46.16±0.31 16.41±0.05 3.97±0.07 8.80±0.10 17.36±0.54 7.30±0.09 Soya bean Chima soya 46.16±0.31 15.23±0.31 2.80±0.91 7.05±0.50 22.53±1.68 6.20±0.03 bean * Values are mean ± SD of triplicate determinations. + Diets 1, 2 and 3 = Sweet Potato – Bambara groundnut mixtures. Diets 4, 5 and 6 = Sweet Potato – Soya bean mixtures.

Table 3: Proximate nutrient values* of test diets and nutriend. Protein Carbohydrate Fibre Moisture Lipid Ash (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) Diet 1 12.03±0.24 68.35±0.47 2.21±0.29 7.15±0.50 5.05±0.24 5.20±0.43 Diet 2 15.09±0.30 65.63±0.00 1.45±0.87 7.80±0.57 5.96±0.01 4.10±0.18 Diet 3 17.50±0.62 60.94±0.00 3.07±0.57 7.10±0.28 6.49±0.33 4.90±0.18 Diet 4 12.69±0.62 62.50±.28 6.57±0.61 9.15±0.64 5.71±0.01 3.90±0.94 Diet 5 16.19±0.31 65.94±.47 0.35±0.44 7.55±0.21 6.47±0.13 3.50±0.09 Diet 6 17.72±0.05 60.94±0.25 6.07±0.36 7.15±0.07 8.49±0.98 5.90±0.39 Diet 7 7.88±0.00 69.53±0.26 6.01±0.80 8.90±0.28 5.98±0.10 1.70±0.08 (Corn starch) Diet 8 16.63±0.00 68.36±0.28 0.80±0.36 7.35±0.35 2.02±0.34 4.60±0.06 (Nutrend)

Table 4: Tannin and phytate contents of flour samples Samples Tannin (mg/100g) Phytate (mg/100g) Sweet potato 0.30 119.98 Corn starch 0.10 64.41 Unprocessed bambara groundnut 2.05 317.63 Processed bambara groundnut 1.00 1711.76 Unprocessed soya beans 0.80 280.37 Processed soya beans 0.68 70.72 Chima soya beans 0.80 171.25 Blessed soya beans 070 138.92

19 Table 5: Tannin and phytate contents test diets and nutrend. 4 Jellife, D.B. (1971) Commerciogenic Samples Tannin Phytate malnutrition: Time for a dialogue. Food Technol.25:55-61. (mg/100g) (mg/100g) Diet 1 0.45 35.36 5. Jellife, D.B. and Jellife E. F.P. (1975) Human Milk, nutrition and the world Diet 2 0.70 50.52 resource crisis. Science 188:557–561. Diet 3 0 . 6 8 59.99 6. Puffer, R.R and Serrano, C.V. (1973) Diet 4 0.42 27.78 Patterns of Mortality in Childhood. Paho Diet 5 0.65 40.41 Science Publication PAHO/WHO, Washington, D.C. 262. Diet 6 0.55 50.49 Diet 8 0.40 40.41 7. Abate, G and Yohannes, C. (1987) Traditional weaning practices in Ethiopia. In (Nutrend) “Improving young child feeding in Eastern and Southern Africa: Household –Level food technology” Proceedings of a workshop held Diet 3 contained the highest amount of phytic in Nairobi, Kenya, October. Alnwick S. acid. In conclusion, the results obtained in this Moses and Schnidt (Eds). 70 -75. study place the test diets on a significant level with the commercial Nutrend used as control 8. Bradley, J.; Baldwin, S. and Armstrong, indicating that these test diets can effectively H. (1987) Breast Feeding: A neglected supplement Nutrend as weaning foods thus household weaning food resource. In reducing the cost and availability of weaning “lmproving young child feeding in Eastern foods to the less privileged prevalent in and Southern Africa: Household – level food underdeveloped countries like Nigeria and other technology”. Proceeding of a workshop held African countries. in Nairobi, Kenya, October, Alnwick, S Moses and Schmidt (Eds) 7 -33.

REFERENCES 9. WHO (1980) Six reports on the World Health Situation. Part One. Global analysis. 1. Mokwena, C (1987) The use of fermented Geneva. foods in child feeding in Botswana in “lmproving young child feeding in eastern 10. Mclaren, D.S. (1977) Nutrition Planning: and Southern Africa:household-level food The Poverty of holism. Nature 267:742-753. technology” Proceedings of a workshop held in Nairoibi, Kenya, October. Alnwick, 11. Abbey, B.W and Nkanga, U.E (1988) Moses and Schmidt. Pgs. 101 -104. Production of high quality weaning products from Maize–Cowpea – Crayfish mixtures. 2. Government of the United Republic of Nutr Rept. Int. 37:95-957. Tanzania and United Nations Children’s 12. Fund (1990): Women and Children in Nnayelugo, D.O. and Uwaegbute, A.C. Tanzania. A situation Analysis 129 – 132. (1987) Nutritive value and biological evaluation of processed Cowpea diets compared with local weaning foods in 3. Pellet, P.L and Mamarbachi, D. (1978) Recommended proportions of foods in home Nigeria. Nutr. Rept. Int. 22: 81 -92. – made weaning mixtures. Ecol. Food. Nutr. 13. Fermentation 7:219-228. Akinrele, I. A. (1970) studies on maize during the preparation 20 of 9 traditional African starch–cake Proteins by tannins. J. Plant Foods. 4:312- food. J. Sci. Food Agric. 21:619-624. 316.

14. Umoh, l. B. and Fields, M.L. (1981) 20. Honig. D.H; Wolf, W. J and Rackis, J.J Fermentation of Corn for Nigerian “Agidi”. (1984) Phytic acid and phosphorus content J. Food Sci. 46: 903 – 908. of various soya bean protein fractions. Cereal Chem. 61:523-526. 15. Wheeler, E.L and Ferrell, R. E. (1971) A method for phytic acid determination in 21. Uzogara, S .G; Morton, l .D. and Daniel, wheat and wheat fractions. Cereal Chem. J.W. (1990) Changes in some anti-nutrients 48:312 -320. of Cowpeas (Vigna Unguiculata) Processed with “Kanwa” alkaline salt. Plant Foods. 16. Ritchie, J.A.S. (1978) Manual on child Hum. Nutr. 40:249-258. development, family life and nutrition. ECA/FAO, United Nations, Addis Ababa. 22. Ologhobo, A.D. and Fetuga, B.L (1984) Distribution of Phosphorus and Phytate in some Nigerian Varieties of Legumes and 17. Bressani, R; Elias, L. G; Wolzak, A; some effects of Processing. J. Food Sci. Hagerman, A. E. and Butler, l. G. (1983) 49:199-205. Tannin in common beans. Methods of analysis and effects on protein quality. J. 23. Manna, F.; Hussain, T.; Alli, I. and lgbal, Food Sci. 48:1000–1005. P. (1987) Effect of Cooking on Phytic Acid Content and Nutritive Value of Pakistani 18. Khokhar, S. and Chamhan, B. M. (1986) Peas and Lentils. Food Chem. 2:81-87. Antinutritional factors in Moth bean (Vigna Aconitifolia): Varietal differences and 24. Iyer, V; Salunkhe, D.k. Sathe, S.K and effects of method of domestic processing Rockland, L.B. (1980) Quick Cooking and cooking. J. Food Sci. 51:591–596. Beans (P. Vulgaris. L). Phytate, Oligosaccharides and anti-enzymes. Qual. 19. Bressani, R.; Elisa, L.G and Braham, J.E. Plant Foods. Human. Nutr. 30:45-51. (1982) Reduction of digestibility of legume