INFLUENCE OF ALKALINE-COOKING ON THE PROXIMATE COMPOSITION AND FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF UNDER-UTILISED SEED OF OIL

BEAN (HEXALOBUS CRISPIFLORUS) FLOUR

Adebola Ajayi ¹, Oluwagbemiga K. Sokeye¹ Basheer F. Umar ² and Olalekan J. Adebowale¹

¹Department of Food technology

²Department of Science Laboratory Technology,

The Federal Polytechnic, P.M.B. 50, Oja-Odan Road, Ilaro, Ogun State, Nigeria

E-mail address: jimiolalekan@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The effect of alkaline-cooking on the proximate composition and functional properties of two under-utilised seeds flour were studied using a 2 x 4 factorial experimental design with cooking time (0, 30 min) and lime concentrations (0, 0.33, 0.5 and 1.0%). Proximate composition (crude protein, crude fat, moisture, ash and crude fibre), pH, energy value and the functional properties (Bulk density, water absorption, oil absorption, foaming capacity and swelling power) were determined using standard methods. The cooking time and lime concentration significantly (p≤0.05) influenced the moisture, pH, ash, protein and crude fat of the samples. Nixtamalization significantly (p≤0.05) increased the foaming capacity (1.0 – 2.4%) and swelling power (2.9 – 3.7%). Conversely, there were decrease in the values obtained for the bulk density (0.7 – 0.5g/cm³), water absorption (5.2 – 4.2ml/g) and oil absorption capacity (6.0 – 5.6ml/g). The effect of lime concentration on the foaming capacity, swelling power, ash and protein were not too significant (p≤0.05); however, a slight increase in protein content with pronounced fat contents were observed.

Keywords: Hexalobus crispiflorus, alkaline-cooking, nixtamalization, lime concentration proximate composition, functional properties.