Chemical Compositions and Nutritional Properties of Popcorn-Based Complementary Foods Supplemented With Moringa oleifera Leaves Flour

摘要

Cereal gruel is the common complementary foods in developing countries, and it is usually low in energy and protein; hence, responsible for increase in protein-energy malnutrition among underprivileged weaning aged children. Several locally available food materials have been tested in combination for infant food formulations however; popcorn and Moringa oleifera leaves combination have not been used. After blanching and fermentation processing, popcorn and moringa leaves were milled into flour and blended to obtain, blanched popcorn-moringa leaves (BPM) (65% popcorn and 35% moringa leaves flour) and fermented popcorn-moringa leaves (FPM) (65% popcorn and 35% moringa leaves flour). Products were analyzed for chemical composition, functional properties and bioassay using standard methods. Protein content of FPM (21.27 ± 0.20 g/100 g) and BPM (15.99 ± 0.14 g/100 g) were higher than Cerelac (15.75 ± 0.01 g/100 g) and ‘Ogi’ (6.52 ± 0.31 g/100 g); while energy values of FPM (393.94 ± 0.39 kcal) and BPM (389.69 ± 1.40 Kcal) were lower than ‘Ogi’ (418.08 ± 0.47 kcal) and Cerelac (431.58 ± 0.01 kcal). Mineral contents of BPM were higher in zinc, iron, potassium, sodium and phosphorous, while FPM sample was higher in copper, calcium and magnesium, and were lower than Cerelac . Oxalate, phytate and trypsin inhibitor in FPM were lower than BPM. Biological value and protein efficiency ratio of FPM were higher than BPM and ‘Ogi’, but lower than Cerelac . The albino rats fed with the FPM had higher growth rate when compared with those rats fed with BPM sample and ‘Ogi’, but lower than those fed with Cerelac . Nutrient composition and nutritional profile of popcorn-moringa leaves based complementary foods could be used as substitutes for local complementary foods, which are low in protein and energy.