Multivariate Analysis Evaluation of Technological Process on Chemical and Sensory Acceptance of Yam and Soy Based Weaning Foods

Given t he importance of yam worldwide in western Africa, and considering the absence of any scientific study setting out yam based weaning food sensory acceptance, it becomes important to identify the differentiating characteristics of several formulated brands. In particular, setting out the correlation between chemical, physical and sensory parameters. In this way, the aim of this work was to make yam (Dioscorea spp) more useful as low - cost and nutritive weaning food. It has been developed a scheme for processin g it into infant flours with a long shelf - life. An attempt was allow highlighting how the incorporation of soybean (Glycine max) and natural sources of micronutrients (Andasonia digitata pulp, Parkia biglobosa pulp or seed, Cerathoteca sesamoides leaves) m odifies sensory properties of formulated composite infant foods prepared. The elemental chemical analysis, determination of physical parameters and sensory evaluation of studied formulation were performed. Sensory properties of gruels were evaluated by the balance method in comparison with other commercial weaning food. Multivariate statistical methods (Pearson correlation and cluster analysis) were applied to estimating relationships in analysed data. The results showed that the weaning food sensory accep tance is strongly related to variables associated fluidity, sweetness , aroma, mouth feel and some physicochemical properties like acidity and Water - holding capacity (WHC). Formulated complementary foods containing malted millet, MCS and MNB had good accept ability comparable to the references used.