Quality protein maize (Zea mays L.) fortified with vegetable biomaterials based breakfast cereal

The aim of this study was to determine the functional properties and sensory characteristics of flour blends and flaked ready-to-eat breakfast cereals produced from quality protein maize, cowpea and garden egg. The flour blends and flaked breakfast cereal were analysed for functional properties and sensory characteristics respectively using standard methods. The results showed that loose and packed bulk density (0.41-0.38 g/ml; 0.63-0.71 g/ml), reconstitution index (75.67-59.68) reduced with the increase in garden egg proportion, while the swelling (1.29-2.99 g/g), water absorption (132.00-263.33%) and oil absorption (95.67-133.00 g/ml) capacities increased with garden egg and temperature increase. The trough (1.21 to 5.00 RVU) and final viscosity (1.79 to 11.59 RVU) increased with increase levels of garden egg to the blends. The mean scores for taste (6.07-4.07) and aftertaste (6.60-2.87) by the panelists showed a decline with increase in the level of garden egg addition when the flaked breakfast cereal was served alone. The mean scores for texture ranged from 7.67-4.87, 6.73-5.46 and 6.87-5.33 for breakfast cereal served alone, served with water and consumed with milk respectively. The overall acceptability of the ready-to-eat breakfast cereal from cowpea and maize alone ranked best of all the blends and compared favourably with the commercial sample. Meanwhile, sample containing cowpea and maize compared favourably with commercial sample in all the parameters assessed. The study concluded that addition of cowpea and garden egg improved some selected functional properties. Ready-to-eat breakfast cereal of good acceptability to the panelists was produced from the selected biomaterials. This will also promote the utilization of cowpea and garden egg thereby ensuring food security.