Formulation and Nutritional Evaluation of Maize, Bambara Groundnut and Cowpea Seeds Blends Complementary Food

摘要

Complementary diets were prepared from flour blends of maize, bambara groundnut, and cowpea seed and compared with Nutrend, a vegetable based protein commercial food manufactured by Nestle plc. The formulated diets are corn flour which was mixed with flours from bambara groundnut and cowpea at a ratio maize-bambara (80:20), maize-cowpea (80:20) and maize-bambara-cowpea (60:20:20). Thirty (30) weaning rats were grouped into six groups of five rats each and fed with five dietary samples for 28days. The suggested diets especially those of maize-bambara- cowpea supplied adequate amounts of most minerals. Physical and biochemical parameters established no significant difference in the analytical data for formulated and control diets. The assessment results showed that the formulated diets were comparable nutritionally to control diet in supporting animal growth without any significant organ impairment as indicated in the liver and kidney function tests. The diets formulated from maize, bambara groundnut and cowpea seeds blends complementary food were well accepted as shown by the amounts consumed by the rats hence were acceptable, readily available, affordable and nutritionally adequate, animal growth.