Nutritional, Functional and Sensory Properties of Gari Enhanced with Fermented Maize Residues Flour

Abstract

The by-product (residue) from fermented yellow maize starch production was dried and milled into flour and designated as fermented yellow maize residues, the residue was added to Gari at 0–30% levels of substitution to produce Gari-residue blends. The blends and control were evaluated for its functional and pasting properties, proximate composition, mineral content and starch digestibility. The Gari-residue blends were reconstituted with hot water into a stiff dough (“Eba”) and its sensory and proximate composition analyzed. Results showed water and oil absorption capacities decreased, and an increase in Bulk density, swelling power and solubility index. Pasting property showed a decrease in peak, breakdown and setback viscosities, a decrease in pasting time while the pasting temperature increased. Proximate composition of stiff dough showed an increase in fat, crude protein and crude fibre with a decrease in carbohydrate content, mineral content determination showed the contents of Ca, Zn, Fe and P increased. Sensory evaluation results showed Gari stiff dough at 5–25% levels of substitution had equal preference with the control for overall acceptability. Values for starch digestibility showed a reduction in glycemic indices with the presence of residue flours. This study has thus shown that fermented maize starch residue enhanced the sensory and nutritional properties of “Eba”.