Production and Organoleptic Evaluation of Complementary Foods from Fermented Composite Flours of Legume, Cereal, Root and T ubers

Cheap, nutritious, easy to prepare and acceptable complementary foods from fermented cereal, root and tuber, and legume were produced and organoleptically evaluated. Yellow maize (YM), sorghum (SG), cowpea (CP), cocoyam (CY) and sweet potatoes (SP) were fermented for 72h in water at a ratio of 1:3(w/v), sun dried to 5% moisture and hammer-milled into fine flours. The flours were analyzed for nutrient by standard methods. The flours were blended into eight composite flours (blends) on protein basis - (SGCP, YMCP, YMSP, SGSP, YMCY, SGCY, at a ratio of 70:30 and SGCPSP, YMCPCY at 60:20:20). Porridges were prepared from blends, and their organoleptic qualities evaluated on a 9-point hedonic scale, by a 22 member taste panel. Fermentation increased protein in flours and product and improved the food potentials of all porridges. SGCP and YMCP porridges had higher organoleptic rating and acceptability than other blends, and could be incorporated into complementary foods.