Quality evaluation of sweetpotato-based complementary food

Complementary Food (CF) was developed using locally available food raw materials (millet, soybean and sweetpotato) to tackle infant malnutrition especially in rural areas. Four different samples of CF were formulated using different ratios of millet flour (MF), sweet potato flour (SPF), soybean flour (SBF); A (55% MF, 30% SPF and 15%SBF), B (50% MF, 30% SPF and 20%SBF), C (45% MF, 30% SPF and 25%SBF), and D (40% MF, 30% SPF and 30% SBF). Commercial complementary food (Nutribom) was used as control sample. The proximate and functional properties of the formulated CF were determined. The following range of values were obtained for all the complementary samples, moisture (2.98-9.05%), protein (5.06-13.19%), fat (2.50-8.71%), fibre (0.13-2.19%), ash (1.26-2.31%) and carbohydrate (55.6-57.6%). The protein, fat and fibre contents of the complementary food increased while moisture, ash and carbohydrate contents reduced with an increase in the level of SBF. The water absorption capacity, swelling power, and bulk density of the complimentary food samples ranged between 28.00 and 43.67 ml/g; 2.86 and5.22 (g/g) and 0.69and 0.81 g/ml, respectively. The functional properties of the complementary food increased when compared with the control. The complementary food blends that could be regarded as appropriate formulation based on the exhibited quality attributes evaluated was sample B which contained 50, 30 and 20% of MF, SPF and SBF, respectively. This product can serve as an alternative to commercial weaning food to prevent protein-energy malnutrition, which may help in the growth and development of children among the poor populace. Keywords: Complementary foods, functional properties, proximate properties and minerals contents