This study was aim to evaluate the physical properties of wheat-tiger nut flour mixes and physical, proximate and sensory attribute of pancakes developed from wheat-tiger nut flour mixes. Fresh yellow variety of tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus) tubers and other ingredients used for this research were purchased from the Isara market, Saapade, Ogun State, Nigeria. The tiger nut seed were sorted, soaked and germinated for 48 hrs, dried and processed into flour. Pancakes were prepared after incorporation of 10, 20, and 30% of germinated tiger nut flour. The water absorption capacity and solubility values ranged from 44.66 g/ml – 53.00 g/ml and 3.96-8.06% respectively. The result of the swelling power and bulk density varied from 295.00-337.66% and 497.51 kg/m3 - 555.55 kg/m3. The result of the proximate composition of the pancake showed that the protein, moisture, fat, ash and crude fiber increased significantly (p = 0.05) while the carbohydrate contents decreased significantly with an increase in the germinated tiger nut flour substitution. The protein values ranged from 11.91 – 21.75 with sample D having the highest value of protein at substitution level of 30% germinated tiger nut flour compared to the control sample A. The physical properties of the pancake viz thickness, diameter and spread factor ranged from 2.10-10.00 mm, 111.33-158.66 mm, 111.00-757.14 mm respectively. Sensory data indicated that the pancake produced from germinated tiger nut flour with 30% was acceptable. In conclusion, this study has shown that the use of tiger nut can be considered as a potential ingredient in baking and production of high protein and high fiber products. Nevertheless, it is important to consume snacks with other protein-rich diets to supplement the reduction resulted from substitution.

Bambara nut (Vigna subterrenean) is a cheap source of leguminous protein that can be a good substitute for relatively expensive animal protein to reduce malnutrition. Despite its potentials, it remains underutilized owing in part to long cooking time, presence of antinutritional factors and drudgery in dehulling. In this regard, this study determined effects of fermentation on antinutritional and functional properties of bambara nut flour. Bambara nut was procured from local market in Abeokuta while pure culture of Rhizopus oligosporous was obtained at the Department of Food Science and Engineering, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology. Bambara nut was fermented for 12, 24, 36, 48, 60 and 72h at 32ºC and dried in oven (55ºC/24 h). The antinutritional (tannin, oxalate, phytate, and trypsin inhibitor) and functional properties (water-absorption-capacity, solubility and swelling power) of the composite flour were determined. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics and significance established at P=.05. Respective range of values for tannin, oxalate, phytate and trypsin inhibitor were 0.08 - 0.32, 0.72 - 1.49, 0.15 - 3.64 and 0.42 - 3.25 mg/g, respectively. Water absorption capacity, solubility and swelling power ranged from 8.67 - 11.04, 52.59 - 53.07, 9.20 - 10.16 and 9.14 9.16%,  respectively. The fermentation process reduced the antinutritional factors and increased the protein content.

This work was carried out in collaboration between both authors. Author OATN initiated the project, designed the study, wrote the protocol and supervised the study and project report. Author SAO collected field data, performed statistical analysis, wrote the first draft of the manuscript and managed the literature search. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.

The effect of some processing method on the ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid content of two cultivars of yam (Dioscorea rotundata and D. cayenensis) were investigated. The processing method adopted were cooking, frying and roasting. The assay of ascorbic acid in the two cultivars ranged from (5.0 – 9.2 mg / 100 g fresh tissue). The moisture contents of the processed samples ranged from 40-55% for D. rotundata and 48-60% for D.cayenensis except for roasted samples which had a moisture content of 30% for the two cultivars of yam.  The pH values were similar in all the varieties examined. The level of ascorbic acid after 0 - 8 days of storage ranged from 5.2 - 7.3 mg / 100 g fresh tissue on a moisture -free basis (mfb). The dehydroascorbic acid content varied from 5.0 - 9.2 mg / 100 g fresh tissue on a moisture- free basis. The retention in ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid of the various treatments ranged from 4.9 - 6.2 mg / 100 g and 5.2 - 8.9 mg / 100 g respectively. Thus, different processing methods has contributed to the loss of ascorbic acid with the highest loss observed when the yam samples were roasted and least loss when they were fried.