Assessment of Nutritional and Functional Properties of Complementary Food from Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato, Soybean and Tropical Almond Seed Composite Flour

The study evaluated the quality characteristics of complementary food produced from Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato, soybean, and tropical almond seed composite. The sample formulation was in ratios of 100:0:0, 90:5:5, 80:15:5, and 70:25:5 for Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato, soybean, and tropical almond seed composite, respectively. A commercial complementary food was used as a control sample. A commercially available complementary food served as the control sample. The samples underwent analysis for nutritional, functional, and pasting properties using established standard methods. The obtained data were subsequently analyzed utilizing SPSS version 25. Significance was approved at p<0.05. The proximate composition of the complementary food ranged as follows: moisture (4.58-6.55%), fats (1.39-3.61%), Protein (3.67-14.15%), ash (1.94-2.78%), crude fibre (1.67-3.48%), carbohydrates (69.53-87.09%), and energy values (364.89-375.55 kcal/100 g). The micronutrients ranged as follows: calcium (0.62-4.98 mg/100 g), magnesium (1.54-2.25 mg/100 g), potassium (11.23-23.28 mg/100 g), sodium (1.24-6.42 mg/100 g), iron (3.01-8.00 mg/100 g), zinc (1.24-2.75 mg/100 g), beta carotene (6.65-27.61 mg/100 g), vitamin C (0.30-1.54 mg/100 g), vitamin B1 (0.65-1.39 mg/100 g), and vitamin E (0.72-4.29 mg /100 g). The functional properties ranged as follows; bulk density (0.50-0.85 g/mL), swelling capacity (1.52-3.19%), water absorption capacity (3.64-4.93 mL/g), oil absorption capacity (0.61-1.88 mL/g), and gelatinization temperature (57.5-66.0 °C). The pasting properties ranged as follows: peak viscosity (143.67-296.67 RVU), Trough viscosity (55.47-94.04 RVU), breakdown viscosity (87.11-202.63 RVU), setback viscosity (702.87-2642.29 RVU), final viscosity (758.33-2736.33 RVU), peak time (4.10-5.37 min), and pasting temperature (72.40-79.47 °C). The composite flour herein produced Substantially (p<0.05) enhanced the nutritional, functional, and pasting characteristics of the complementary food contrast to the control sample.