Microbiological, Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Spiced Quality Protein Maize (QPM) Products

Abstract

Malnutrition in developing countries is primarily a problem of protein deficiency. There thus the need to introduce foods that will combat this problem. Quality protein maize (QPM) is one of such foods as it contains more lysine and tryptophan than other varieties of maize. This work focuses on QPM food products fortified with locally available food spices (ginger, garlic and cloves) at 1% and 3% concentrations in order to improve the nutritional and organoleptic properties. Quality Protein Maize (ART98/SW1) grains were processed into spiced flour and cake. Proximate, functional, microbial and sensory analyses were carried out on the samples. Quality Protein Maize cake and flour spiced with 3% ginger (GIN3) were significantly higher (p > 0.5) in crude protein. The control was significantly higher in moisture and carbohydrate content. Minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc were present in all the samples. The results showed that QPM flour fortified with 3% clove recorded the highest bulk density while that fortified with 1% clove recorded the highest swelling power. The total bacteria count ranged from 0.1x105cfug-1 to 0.8x105cfug-1 in the spiced QPM cake samples. In conclusion, spices improved the nutrient content of the flour and cake samples. Quality Protein Maize cake with 1% ginger was the most preferred of all the spiced QPM cake samples in terms of sensory attributes. The potentials of this research work are useful in the food industries, confectionaries and households.