Nutritional Evaluation of Complementary Diets Formulated from Blends of Quality Protein Maize Flour, Conpophor Nuts (Tetracarpidium conophorum) and Fluted Pumpkin seed (Telfairia occidentalis)

Abstract

The effectiveness of blends of Quality Protein Maize (QPM) and defatted oil seed flour (fluted pumpkin seed and conophor nut) in meeting nutritional requirement as a complementary diet was being investigated. QPM was processed into flour, fluted pumpkin seeds were shelled, washed, boiled and dried. The dried seeds were defatted using n-Hexane and the defatted flour was used as part of the blend. Conophor seeds were also shelled, washed, boiled, dried and defatted as above. Flour produced was applied as part of the blends use for the formulated diets. MCB (blend of QPM, defatted conophor seed flour), MFB (QPM and defatted fluted pumpkin); and MFWB (QPM, defatted conophor seed flour and fluted pumpkin flour) were produced using regression equation such that each blend contain 18% protein. Chemical composition, functional properties and antinutritional factors of the diet was determined. The complementary diets were also analysed for amino acid and mineral composition. Commercial samples were used as reference (FOM and GM). The in vitro and in vivo digestibility were determined. The histopathological and haematological parameters such as haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), Red blood cells (RBC) and White blood cells (WBC) were determined. The safety of the diets were evaluated through microbial determination, kidney function and liver function tests. The result of the proximate composition showed that the crude protein content of the diet ranged from 17.57% in MFB to 18.02% in MFWB. The crude fat content ranged from 1.64% in MCB to 4.08% in MFB formulated diets and control samples ranged between 2.30% in FOM and 6.62% in GM. The total ash content ranged between 0.76% in MFB to 1.00% in MCB while it is 2.01% in FOM and 3.52% in GM. The crude fibre content of the complementary diets ranged between 1.60% in MFB to 2.39% in MFWB. The gross food energy (GFE) content of formulated diets ranged between 1536.73KJ in MCB to 1590.34KJ in MFB and control sample ranged between 1536.65KJ in FOM to 1586.75 in GM. There were no significant difference (p>0.05) in the water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacities, bulk density and reconstitution index of the diets. The least gelation concentration of the formulated diet was 10%. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the tannin, phenol, phytate, trypsin inhibitor (TI), oxalate, alkaloid and glycoside content of the diet. The total bacterial counts for the complementary diets ranged from 1.1 x 105 in MCB to 1.3 x 105 in MFB and MFWB; and the control diets ranged between 1.1 x 105 in FOM to 1.2 x 105 in GM. The invitro protein digestibility (IVPD) of the formulated diets are 74.51%, 74.51% and 74.15% for MCB, MFB and MFWB respectively. The calcium, iron and zinc contents of the diets were lower than the recommended values. The potassium content ranged between 2570mg/kg in MCB to 9550 mg/kg in MFB for complementary diets and 3465mg/kg in FOM to 10125 mg/kg in GM for control samples. Arsenic, cobalt and nickel were not detected in any of the samples. Feed efficiency ratio of the rats fed with complementary diets ranged between 0.21 in MFB and MFWB to 0.22 in MCB and 0.21 in FOM to 0.25 in casein for the rats fed with the control samples. The protein efficiency ratio of the rats fed with the complementary diets ranged between 2.09 in MFB to 2.12 in MCB while the rats fed with the control diets ranged between 2.02 in FOM to 2.50 in casein. Net protein retention efficiency are 1.24 in MFB to 1.29 in MFWB while rats fed with the control samples ranged between 1.18 in FOM to 1.88 in casein. Protein retention efficiency for the rats fed with the complementary diets ranged between 19.90 in MFB to 20.70 in MFWB and for rats fed with the control samples ranged between 18.87 in FOM to 30.00 in casein. The feed conversion ratio of rats fed with the complementary diets ranged between 4.64 in MCB to 4.71in MFB and 3.94 in casein to 4.88 in FOM for the rats fed with control diets. The results of the microbial determination, kidney and liver function test revealed that the diet is safe for consumption. Histological examination of organs of rats fed with the control samples (Casein, GM, FOM), basal and the formulated diets revealed there were no lesions in heart, kidney and lungs while mild to moderate variations were observed in liver. Sensory evaluation revealed that there were no significant difference (P<0.05) in colour, taste and overall acceptability. The formulated diet especially MFWB has potential of meeting the daily dietary requirement and support growth. Diet MFWB may find potential as an acceptable and suitable diet for children with protein energy malnutrition.