This study investigates proximate composition, antinutritional contents and physicochemical properties of breadfruit (Treculia africana) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) flour blends fermented with pure strains Lactobacillus plantarum (FO-12) for the purpose of developing weaning food for the management of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM). Breadfruit and cowpea flour blends were prepared in various ratios and then fermented using Lactobacillus plantarum. Proximate composition, phytic acid, hydrogen cyanide and oxalate contents were determined. pH and titratable acidity were also determined. A significant increase (p < 0.05) was observed in the ash, protein and fat contents of the fermented flour blend as the amount of cowpea flour increases in the formulation; whereas crude fibre and carbohydrate contents significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Similarly, moisture, protein and fat contents significantly increased (p < 0.05) with fermentation. Significant reductions were observed in crude fibre and carbohydrate contents after fermentation. Fermentation process caused a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the oxalate, phytate and hydrogen cyanide contents of the breadfruit flour blends. The changes observed in the fermented flour blends agreed with significant decreases recorded for pH and increases in titratable acidity. Fermentation improves the nutritional composition of breadfruitcowpea flour blends for possible use as complementary foods for infants providing PEM management.Key words: Breadfruit-cowpea flour blends, fermentation, Lactobacillus plantarum, weaning food, physicochemical properties.
INTRODUCTIONAfrican breadfruit (Treculia africana) from the mulberry family Moraceace is an important food crop in Nigeria (Ejiofor et al., 1988). It is widely cultivated in the southern . This is due to the fact that it is used in several traditional food preparations of yam, and also cost less than one third the price of yam at the market (Mayaki et al., 2003). Breadfruit contains about 1.34% protein, 0.31% fat, 27.82% carbohydrate, 1.5% fibre and 1.23% ash (Wang et al., 2011). It is also rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, carotene and vitamin B (Wang et al., 2011). Breadfruit powder or flour is reported to contain about 76.7% carbohydrate (Morton, 1987), 17.1% protein, 11% fat, 3.0% ash and 0.1% crude fiber (Akubor et al., 2000).The presence of anti-nutritional factors limits the use of this crop. However, they could be eliminated or reduced by some processes such as soaking, dehulling, germination and fermentation (Khokhar and Chauhan, 1986). The study of Onweluzo and Nnamuchi (2009) reveals that fermentation and steaming enhances the detoxification of breadfruit flour. But fermentation as a method of processing and preserving breadfruit, as obtains in the Pacific Islands, is quite unpopular in most areas where it has been introduced (Adekanmi et al., 2012). Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) has resulted in high level of infants and children mortality in Nigeria, especially among the low income earners. Cowpe...