NUTRITIONAL EVALUATION OF COMPLEMENTARY DIETS FROM BLENDS OF GERMINATED AND FERMENTED MILLET (Penniselum glaucum L), WITH GROUNDNUT (Arachis hypogeae D) AND MORINGA (Moringa oleifera) SEED FLOURS

Abstract

Balance diet is fundamental for the health and survival of children during the first two years of life. In Nigeria, evidences have shown that high level of malnutrition is prevalent among children as a result of several factors which include poor nutritional quality and insufficient intakes of complementary foods due to high cost beyond the reach of low-income family. Hence, the present study was aimed at developing and evaluating the nutritional qualities of complementary diets produced from blends of millet, groundnut and Moringa oleifera seed. The food materials were obtained locally, millet was fermented or germinated and milled into flour then composed into different formulation and coded with respect to processing technique as follows: Pearl Millet-Groundnut-Moringa oleifera (FMGM1/ GMGM1-50:35:15%); (FMGM2/ GMGM2:50:30:20%); (FMGM3/ GMGM3-55:25:20%); (FMGM4/ GMGM4-60:20:20%); (FMGM5/ GMGM5-70:10:20); (FMGM6/ GMGM6-55:20:25) and (FMGM7/ GMGM7-55:15:30%). ‘Ogi’ (traditionally fermented millet) and Cerelac (a commercial complementary food) were used as control. Proximate, amino acid, free fatty acid profile, mineral, antinutritional compositions and functional properties of complementary diets were determined based on standard analytical methods. The nutritional qualities of the diets were assessed using rat assay, haematological parameters, enzyme activities while microbial and sensory (acceptability) evaluation were also carried out. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at p<0.05. The protein composition of complementary foods from fermented millet in composite with groundnut and Moringa oleifera ranged from 18.18 ±0.07 g/100 g in FMGM5 to 20.46 ±0.07 g/100 g in FMGM4, while that of complementary foods from germinated samples ranged from 18.09±0.07 g/100 g in GMGM1 to 23.54±0.03 g/100 g in GMGM3. The total amino acids ranged from 57.02±0.01 (FGMG5) - 89.11±0.05 g/100 g of protein (FGMG5) and 51.53±0.02 (GMGM4) - 88.91±0.01 g/100 g of protein (GMGM7) in the fermented and germinated millet samples respectively. The study revealed that the total saturated fatty acid (SFA) composition of the fermented grains samples ranged between 43.02 g/100 g in FMGM2 and 53.63 g/100 g in FMGM3, while that of germinated grains samples ranged from 45.53g/ 100g in GMGM1 to 49.72 g/100 g in GMGM5. The result further showed that polyunsaturated fatty acid and Saturated fatty acid molar ratios (P/S) of the fermented (0.86-1.38) and germinated (1.00 – 1.2) formulations were observed to be significantly (p<0.05) lower than control samples (Ogi, 4.97; Cerelac, 4.32). The mineral composition showed that in both fermented and germinated complementary foods potassium was the major mineral (685.5 and 733.50 mg/100 g) while cadmium in the diet were found in small quantities (0.01 mg/100 g). The molar ratios of Na/K and Ca/P in both the fermented (0.20-0.23) and germinated (0.23-0.27) complementary diets were higher than that of Ogi (0.14) but comparable with Cerelac (0.23). Oxalate concentration in fermented millet samples ranges from 0.18±0.00 (FMGM5) to 0.24±0.00 mg/Kg (FMGM2), while germinated millet samples, oxalate content ranged between 0.21±0.003 mg/Kg (GMGM3) and 0.26±0.002 mg/Kg (GMGM1). While the results for phytate concentration in fermented millet samples ranged between 25.70±0.00 mg/Kg (FMGM5) to 30.95±0.00 mg/Kg (FMGM2) and germinated millet samples ranged between 26.50±0.25 mg/Kg (GMGM5) and 32.70±0.00 mg/Kg (GMGM1). Bulk density of the fermented millet samples ranged from 0.75±0.01 g/ml (FMGM5/ FMGM7) to 0.81±0.01 g/ml (FMGM2/ FMGM4), while for germinated millet samples values ranged from 0.68±0.01 g/ml (GMGM3) to 0.72±0.01 g/ml (GMGM6). Water Absorption Capacity of the fermented millet samples ranged from 2.81±0.01 g/g (FMGM7) to 4.24±0.01 g/g (FMGM7), while for germinated millet samples values ranged from 2.83±0.01 g/g (GMGM7) to 4.26±0.05 g/g (GMGM6). The biological values (BV), protein efficiency ratios (PER) and Net Protein Utilisation (NPU) of formulated complementary diets (BV=70.74-78.21%; PER=1.54-2.19 and NPU=60.43 – 68.18) were found to be significantly (P<0.05) higher than Ogi (BV=17.64%, PER=0.84, NPU =16.58), though were found to be lower than that of Cerelac (BV= 81.71%, PER=2.50, NPU= 71.56). The appearance, taste, consistency, aroma and overall acceptability parameters of the formulated complementary diets were rated lower by the panelists compared with Ogi and Cerelac. The microbial qualities tests indicated that Coliform and E. coli were not detected in the formulated complementary diets and total viable loads were within safety limit. The findings showed that the protein contents, energy values, biological values and protein efficiency ratios, of both germinated and fermented complementary diets were better than ‘Ogi’ but were comparable to Cerelac. However, GMGM6 was found to be best among the formulated samples therefore, it may be recommended as complementary diet that could be used as a substitute for Ogi, a local complementary diet, which is low in protein and energy density.