MINERAL AND ANTINUTRITIONAL PROPERTIES OF EXTRUDED SNACKS FROM FERMENTED MILLET-PUMPKIN LEAVES COMPOSITE FLOUR

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the mineral and antinutrient content of fermented millet-pumpkin leaves composite flour extruded snacks. Pearl millet grains were carefully sorted to remove unwanted materials, washed and soaked and allowed to ferment for 24 h and 48 h, it was finally dried in an oven dryer and the dried grains were milled using a laboratory hammer mill. Calcium, potassium, phosphorus and iron ranged from 42.71 to 116.58 mg/100g, 138.72 to 218.76 mg/100g, 110.36 to 170.80 mg/100g, 62.51 to 78.67mg/100g for 24 h fermentation time and 46.36 to 125.97 mg/100g, 153.15 to 255.94 mg/100g, 98.64 to 146.73 mg/100g and 74.77 to 90.22 mg/100g for 48 h fermentation time, respectively. The interactive effect of fermented millet and pumpkin leave flour does not have a significant (p>0.05) effect on the calcium, potassium and iron content at both 24 h and 48 h fermentation time while it has a significant (p>0.05) effect on the trypsin inhibitor at 24 h fermentation time. The solution process to the optimization of extruded snacks from fermented millet and pumpkin leaves flour blends are 90% fermented millet flour and 10% pumpkin leaves flour and 87% fermented millet flour and 13% pumpkin leaves flour at 24 h and 48 h fermentation time, respectively. Result shows that fermentation and extrusion process could be used to enrich the nutritional potential of millet extruded snacks.