Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals were produced from blends of African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) (AYB), maize (Zea mays) and defatted coconut cake, by roasting. Six samples of the breakfast cereals were obtained by mixing AYB and maize composite flour with graded levels of defatted coconut (100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50), sugar, salt, sorghum malt extract and water. The samples were roasted at 280C for 5 min and subjected to proximate, microbial and amino acid analyses using standard methods. The results revealed the following ranges of proximate parameters (%): protein (15.68-18.26), moisture (3.38-4.20), fat (1.84-2.02), crude fiber (6.70-9.08), carbohydrates (59.99-62.31), ash (5.29-7.36) and energy (326.63-339.47). Different levels of both essential and non-essential amino acids were detected, with aspartic acid, glutamic acid and proline having least values; while threosine, leucine and glycine had higher values. Bacteria and mould counts were 0.5 ¥ 10-1.51 ¥ 10 2 cfu/g and 0.0 ¥ 10-0.6 ¥ 10 cfu/g, while coliform was not detected.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSAfrican yam bean is being increasingly consumed by diabetics, hypertensive and cardiovascular patients in some Nigerian communities. However, the processes involved in making it ready to eat are cumbersome and time consuming, thereby denying vulnerable groups instant consumption access. Therefore, it is of great industrial and commercial importance to develop the technology for its processing into ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, in combination with other local food materials, which will eliminate the associated drudgery and add value to the product. This work, therefore, has the potential to address the twin problems of energy malnutrition as well as food security. It will stimulate establishment of food industries for the production of breakfast cereals, creating marketing and employment opportunities.
