Production and evaluation of extruded products from decorticated maize (Zea mays L.) flour supplemented with decorticated selected legume flour

Maize (Zea mays L) is an important staple food in Africa where in Sudan it's a prospective crop. The nutritional value of this crop needs some fortification to compensate for some nutritional deficiencies. The results obtained from decorticated maize flour supplemented with different ratios of decorticated faba bean (Vicia faba L.) (dfb) and decorticated cow pea (Vigna unguiculata) (dcp) on extrusion products indicated an increase in protein content of 2.1 % ( from 13.86 to 15.96%) in dfb and (from 12.77 to 14.87%) in dcp. The results indicate that tannins and phytic acid content in extruded products were lower than in blend. Tannins content for extruded products range is 222 – 230.24 mg/100g in dfb products, and 227.68 – 233 mg/100g in dcp products compared to a range of 393.34 – 415.32 in dfb blends, and 355.74 – 379.71 mg/100g in dcp blends. Phytic acid content for extruded products range was 174.30 – 196.01 in dfb products, and 167.20 – 188.01 mg/100g in dcp products compared to 202.47 – 229.35 mg/100g in dfb blends and 198.47 – 212.88 mg/100g in dcp blends. This means that the extrusion cooking reduced antinutritional factors. Heedless, a significant (P≤0.05) increase in minerals content (Ca, K, P, Na, Fe and Mg) was noticed because of adding dfb and dcp to the products compared to control. Essential amino acids in test products were increased compared to the control ones. The protein quality in dfb and dcp products was improved and the lysine score increased from 15.40 to 38.42 and from 16.20 to 49.33 for in these products, respectively. Extruded samples supplemented with 5% dfb and dcp, separately, had significant (P≤0.05) increase in volume by 10 and 20 cm3, respectively. Sensory evaluation of extruded products showed that supplementation with 5% dfb and dcp resulted in superior products in color, taste, crispness and general acceptability. However, extruded products of dfb reflected superior quality than those of dcp. Nevertheless, the study showed that the extruded products of dfb and dcp are better than the control. Eventually, these results recommend producing extruded products from decorticated maize flour supplemented with 5% dfb or dcp in order