Nutritional evaluation of complementary porridge formulated from orange‐fleshed sweet potato, amaranth grain, pumpkin seed, and soybean flours

The research work conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of University of Abuja was aimed at assessing the effect of Moringa oleifera, selected leguminous plants and inorganic fertilizer on the performance of orange fleshed sweet potato in Alley Cropping System. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) using five treatments with three replications was applied. Data collected include: percentage survival of sweet potato, length per vine (cm), number of leaves per vine, leaf area of sweet potato, weed dry matter (g/m2), yield of sweet potato roots. Highest number of leaves (28) per plant was recorded in the control plot while the plots with NPK fertilizer had the highest length per vine (94.55cm) though not significantly (p>0.05) different from others. Higher percent survival (88%) of sweet potato was recorded from control plots. Stands grown in Arachis hypogeae plots produced the highest leaf area (0.202m2) while plots in which NPK fertilizer was applied experienced highest weed dry matter (4.083g/m2) although highest root yield (1.2t/ha) was recorded from the plots with NPK fertilizer. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i3.11061 International Journal of Environment Vol.3(3) 2014: 24-35

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Nutritional Content and Microbial Quality of Complementary Foods Produced from Blends of Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato and Edible Insects

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzaa052_001 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 732-732

Author(s):

Isaac Agbemafle ◽

Doris Hadzi ◽

Francis Amagloh ◽

Francis Zotor ◽

Manju Reddy

Keyword(s):

Sweet Potato ◽

Infant Nutrition ◽

Energy Content ◽

Plate Count ◽

Microbial Quality ◽

Edible Insects ◽

Nutritional Content ◽

Complementary Foods ◽

Steam Cooking ◽

Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato

Abstract Objectives Improved formulations of complementary foods (CFs) with animal-source foods (ASFs) is an eminent strategy to improve infant nutrition, but they are expensive and not readily available in many food insecure settings which are a haven of edible insects. Hence, we developed orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) based CFs supplemented with Cricket or palm weevil larvae (PWL), examined its nutritional content and microbial quality for infant feeding. Methods OFSP roots were sourced from local farmers, peeled, sliced, steam cooked and mechanically dried into OFSP flour. Cricket powder and PWL paste were obtained from commercial producers, steam cooked, and mechanically dried into Cricket/PWL flours. OFSP flour was mixed with either Cricket/PWL flours in the ratios of 100:0 (control), 85:15, 70:30, and 50:50 and used to produce ready-to-eat CFs. The CFs were evaluated for nutrient composition and microbial contamination using standard methods. ANOVA followed by Dunnett's test was used to compare all the formulations to the control. Results There were increase in protein (4.80 to 36.75%), iron (1.26 to 4.38 mg/100 g), zinc (0.69 to 10.65 mg/100 g) and calcium (45.54 to 152.77 mg/100 g) contents of the OFSP-based CFs with increased supplementation with Cricket/PWL flour. The carbohydrate and β-carotene content decreased but the energy content increased with increased supplementation with cricket/PWL flour from 344.52 Kcal/100 g in 100% OFSP CF to 541.09 Kcal/100 g in 50:50 CFs (OFSP: PWL) (P = 0.001). Aerobic mesophilic count (AMC) of the OFSP: Cricket CFs was 60 cfu/g as compared to 1300 cfu/g for the OFSP: PWL CFs. Comparing the OFSP-based Cricket/PWL CFs to the commercial Cricket or PWL, there was 35–331-fold reduction in AMC. Bacillus cereus (BC), aerobic (APC) and anaerobic plate count (NPC) was 0 cfu/g for the OFSP: Cricket CFs. BC, APC and NPC were 100, 260 and 130 cfu/g respectively for the OFSP: PWL CFs. Conclusions Steam cooking, then mechanical drying significantly reduced microbial concentrations in commercial Cricket and PWL to below minimum limits set by the Ghana Standards Authority for CFs requiring heating to boiling before consumption. OFSP-based Cricket/PWL composite flours could be safe viable alternatives as nutritious CFs in countries where they are culturally accepted as food. Funding Sources Nutritional Sciences Council at Iowa State University.

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