PAPER TITLE :EFFECT OF PROCESSING ON THE PROXIMATE, FUNCTIONAL AND SENSORY QUALITY OF PROCESSED WATER YAM FLOUR

APPLIED TROPICAL AGRICULTURE | VOLUME 24 NUMBER 1 2019

Paper Details

  • Author(s) : Agemo C.O1 and Raheem I.F2
  • Abstract:

Water yam (Discoreaalata) being a seasonal and perishable crop, it is pertinent to convert it to flour in order to extend
its shelf life and utilization. This project was aimed at investigating the effect of processing on the proximate, sensory
and functional properties of water yam flour. Fresh water yam tubers were processed into flour using different
methods (Water blanching, chemical blanching, sliced and dry; grate and dry). The flour was reconstituted to slurry
and cooked with other ingredients to make (ikokore) using fresh water yam as control. The flour samples varied
significantly (p<0.5) in terms of crude fibre and crude protein with values ranging from 1.53 to 2.15% and 9.28 to
9.71% for fibre and protein respectively. The highest value was recorded for flour obtained by (water blanching, grate
and dry) while the flour obtained by (GD) has the highest value for crude protein. The moisture content ranged from
8.81 to 10.05%. The ash content ranged from 1.93 to 2.54% water blanched, sliced and dried sample has the highest
ash content (WBSD) while grate and dry sample has the lowest value (GD). The functional properties analysis
showed that the flour obtained by (GD) has the highest water absorption capacity. In terms of sensory the control
sample has the highest general acceptability with the value 8.80±0.52a while the steam blanched-sliced and dried has
the lowest value 6.00±2.33b.However, this study shows that the flour samples are ofgood quality when reconstituted
for further usage.
Keywords: GD: grate and dry; WBGD: water blanched, grate and dry