Proximate and Mineral Composition of Noodles Incorporated with Moringa and Sardine Powders

This study aims to investigate the effect of incorporating Moringa oleifera leaf powder and sardine powder into wheat-based noodle formulations on their nutritional composition. Different formulations were prepared with varying ratios, expressed in percentage (%): WM1 (99.6 wheat: 0.4 moringa ), WM2 (99.2 wheat: 0.8 moringa) andWM3 (99 wheat :1 moringa ); WS1 (95 wheat: 5 sardine ), WS2 (90 wheat: 10 sardine ), WS3 (85 wheat: 15 sardine) and the control sample (WC) containing 100% wheat was also included for comparison. The nutritional parameters assessed included crude protein, crude fiber, crude fat, ash, carbohydrate and energy content. Mineral compositions were also determined, including calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn). The results demonstrated significant variations in the nutritional composition of the different formulations compared to the control sample. Results of proximate composition based on dry matter showed that the crude protein values ranged from 11.76-21.40g/100g, crude fibre values ranged from 0.00-0.02g/100g, crude fat values ranged from 1.89-2.94g/100g, ash content values ranged from 1.38-2.26g/100g, carbohydrate content values ranged from 62.31-74.29g/100g and energy values ranged from 358.50-364.53 kcal/100g. Furthermore, the minerals results showed iron values ranged from 32.55-65.50mg/100g, calcium values ranged from 7.39-66.61g/100g, magnesium values ranged from 28.86-87.35mg/100g and zinc values ranged from 2.21-39.25mg/100g. These results indicate that the fortification of noodles with moringa and sardine powders can be a viable approach for enhancing the nutritional value of the final product. Keywords: Proximate composition, Micronutrients, Moringa leaf, Sardine, Recommended Dietary Intake.