ABSTRACT

This study was aimed at producing a composite pasta using a blend of African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) known as uzoaki in Igbo and wheat flour (Triticium durum). Pasta was produced with 20:80% African yam bean: Wheat flour respectively and again with 80:20% African yam bean:Wheat flour respectively.The composite flour was combined into a homogenous mixture and poured into a bowl. Warm water at approximately 32-49° Celsius was slowly poured into a hole formed in the center of the mixed flour.The water was incorporated by pulling flour from the walls and mixed by hand until a homogeneous mixture is obtained and a dough is formed.. Kneading was done by the repeated action of flattening the dough with the palm of the hand, rotating the dough, and folding over.The kneaded dough was wrapped in plastic film and cooked for a stipulated time. The dough was extruded using a locally fabricated extruder with die hole diameter of 6mm.The extruded strands were laid on a tray and sent to the oven to dry at a particular temperature.The pasta produced was evaluated against a control(CTRL) made of 100% wheat flour for cooking time, breaking strength, proximate analysis, sensory evaluation and consumer acceptance. Pasta products containing African yam bean (AYB) flours had a significant (p<0.05) decrease in cooking time than CTRL with point value 13.00 and 9.33 for composite pasta containing 20:80 and 80:20 of African yam bean flour and wheat flour respectively while the control had a higher point value of 15.50.Breaking strength of the composite pasta noodles increased as the percentage of African yam bean flour increased with point value of 10.36 and 19.90 for pasta containing 20:80 and 80:20 of African yam bean flour and wheat flour respectively while the control had a lesser point value of 9.01.The functional properties (water absorption capacity,oil absorption capacity and gelation temperature) of AYB flour was significantly different (p<0.05) from wheat flour as well as the proximate composition. AYB flour supplementation was found to increase protein, fiber, and ash content of the pasta when compared to CTRL ranging from 2.68-3.45 for ash,9.50-12.09 for protein and 0.88-2.84 fibre for pasta containing 20:80% African yam bean:Wheat flour respectively and also 2.69-2.96 ash,0.88-7.18 fibre,9.50-19.44 protein for pasta containing 80:20% African yam bean:Wheat flour respectively.The varying cooking time and drying temperature among the blend samples affected the proximate parameters but was not significantly different (p>0.05). Pasta was darker and more brown in color with the increased addition of AYB flour. All pasta variations were deemed acceptable in sensory properties.This results indicates that AYB flour could be used to fortify conventional wheat flour in composite pasta production. Furthermore, composite pasta production from wheat flour blended with African yam bean may be an answer to increase in consumption and utilization of this lesser known legume with the resultant effect of increased intake of quality protein, minerals and dietary fibre.

Table of Contents (PRODUCTION AND EVALUATION OF COMPOSITE PASTA USING A BLEND OF AFRICAN YAM BEAN (sphenostylis stenocarpa) AND WHEAT FLOUR (triticum durum)

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background to the study

1.2 Statement of problem

1.3 Justification of study

1.4 Aim and Objectives

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature Review

2.1 Origin of pasta

2.1.1 Pasta-making process

2.2 Durum Wheat (Triticum Durum)

2.2.1 Chemical Composition and Nutritional Quality

2.3 Wheat Flour

2.3.1 Types of Wheat Flour

2.3.2 Chemical Composition of Wheat flour

2.4 Composite flours

2.4.1 Uses of composite flours

2.5 Wheat Protein Complex

2.6 Legumes in human nutrition.

2.6.1  Functional properties of legumes

2.6.2 Legumes in diet-related non communicable disease

2.6.3 Bean as a legume.

2.7 African yam bean (AYB) (Sphenostylis stenocarpa)

2.7.1 Nutritional/ chemical composition and organoleptic attributes of AYB

2.7.2 Economic importance/ uses of AYB

2.7.3 Constraints in the use of AYB

2.7.4 The anti-nutrients in AYB

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Research Methodology

3.1 Materials

3.2 Methodology

3.2.1 Production of AYB flour

3.2.2 Preparation of blend

3.2.3 Pasta Production

3.3 Analytical Methods

3.3.1 Cooking time

3.3.2 Breaking Force Determination

3.3.3 Proximate Analysis

3.3.3.1 Moisture Content Determination

3.3.3.2 Ash Content Determination

3.3.3.3 Crude Fiber Determination

3.3.3.4 Fat Content Determination

3.3.3.5 Crude Protein Determination

3.3.3.6 Carbohydrate Content Determination

3.3.3.7 Metabolizable Energy Determination

3.3.4 Functional Properties of Flour

3.3.4.1 Water absorption capacity

3.3.3.2 Oil absorption capacity of AYB flour

3.3.4.3 Gelation temperature of the AYB flour

3.3.5 Sensory evaluation

3.3.6 Statistical analysis

CHAPTER FOUR

Result and Discussion.

CHAPTER FIVE

Conclusion

Recommendation

References

APPENDICES

CHAPTER ONE

                                                    INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The word “pasta” is Italian for “dough” and is generally used to describe products fitting the “Italian” style of extruded foods such as spaghetti or macaroni and can be defined as any shaped and dried dough prepared from durum wheat semolina flour with water and optional ingredients. Prior to the industrial revolution, most pasta products were made by hand in small shops.  Today, mostly pasta is manufactured by continuous, high capacity extruders, which operate on the auger extrusion principle in which kneading and extrusion are performed in a single operation.  Pasta is a healthy food that is relatively low in fat, high in carbohydrates, and has a good composition of protein. The widespread consumption of pasta products throughout the world is due to their simple formulation and relative ease of processing, their storability and versatility in use, and their comparatively low cost. As a wheat-derived staple food with a very long shelf life, it is second only to bread in world consumption (Madhumitha, 2011). The highest quality pasta is made solely from durum wheat semolina flour (Triticum durum).

Wheat contributes considerably to the source of proteins in the diet; these proteins are unique among the cereal proteins because of their ability to form viscoelastic dough, which can be attributed to the formation of gluten when flour and water are mixed.  The viscoelastic properties of the gluten in dough systems are generally considered important in determining the baking properties of the wheat flour.

In addition to using wheat flour in making bread, wheat entered into other use and encouraged the growth and development of many industries such as biscuits, cakes, macaroni, pastas and others. This creates a product that has great rheological properties, cooking quality, and high consumer acceptance (Dexter and Matsuo 1979). Overall quality of durum wheat pasta is influenced primarily by the properties of the protein and the starch fraction, and their transformation during extrusion, dehydration and cooking (Aktan,1990). Semolina flour, however, has a limited nutritional profile and is lacking in the amino acids lysine and threonine (Kies et.al., 2005).

This provides an opportunity for the use of non-traditional raw materials to increase the nutritional quality of pasta (Del Nobile et.al., 2008). Among these non-traditional raw materials, legumes represent an interesting source of proteins, fibres, vitamins and minerals. Legume proteins are relatively low in Sulphur-containing amino acids, methionine, cysteine and tryptophan, but high in lysine. Consequently, legumes and cereals are nutritionally complementary (Duranti ,2006)

High protein diets are presently very popular and highly acceptable among health conscious consumers trying to watch their calorie intake, increase satiety, and lose weight.

African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) is a leguminous plant that have been gaining a lot of recognition in the market for its high quality nutritional profile. African yam bean contains a large quantity of high quality protein, along with a good balance of amino acids (Sabanis et.al,2006). It has a high protein content of 21.6% and can also be utilized as a complementary protein in our carbohydrate base foods to enhance and improve their demand. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consider pasta to be a good product for nutritional improvement due to its low levels of protein and fiber (Marconi and Carcea,2001). In 1949, the FDA made pasta one of the first foods to permit vitamin and iron enrichment allowing pasta manufacturers the ability to fortify their products with added nourishment (FDA, 1999). Legume flours are a new frontier that many companies are turning to for added fortification. Much research has been done on fortifying and supplementing pasta with different combinations of non-traditional flours, such as green pea, yellow pea, chickpea, and lentil flours (Zhao et.al., 2005), amaranth flour (Chillo et.al.,2008), split pea and faba bean flours (Petitot et.al.,2010) and quinoa, oat, and broad bean flours (Mastromatteo et.al.,2012). Studies have also been done on the effects of adding solely chickpea flour (Wood ,2009) and quinoa flour (Lorenz et.al.,1993) to pasta.

1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

African yam bean still remains an underutilized commodity because of limited information on its wider food uses. To date, the main source of flour in the baking industry is wheat flour. This has become a challenge to most bakers due to the rising cost. However, the physicochemical properties of African yam bean flour and its potential application as composite flour in the baking industry need an exploration. Although several common edible flours have been developed from cereals, legumes and root and tuber crops, and are available, but in most instances, their food uses are limited. In addition, preservation and processing methods for African yam bean flour production have not been extensively investigated to develop an intermediate product with desirable characteristics that will help broaden its utilization base.

1.3 JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY

The present level of food insecurity facing developing countries, especially African countries, requires that maximum research and development efforts should be made to exploit and promote the food uses of all available food crops that can easily be produced under the local climatic conditions. African yam bean has been found to grow well in Nigeria, but despite its commercial potential the crop still remains underutilized. Developing and establishing the quality characteristics of shelf-stable flours from the African yam bean will facilitate the development of acceptable recipes. This will lead to increased utilization of the crop and for improved food and nutrition security as well as increase in demand. Enhancing the utilization of the yam bean through product development and quality characterization is essential in promoting food security, meeting nutritional needs and increasing the revenue margin of farmers. The results obtained from this study will enhance the understanding and knowledge about African yam bean flour production, its physicochemical and functional as well as sensory properties in substituting it wheat flour.

1.4 Aim and Objectives

The aim of the research is:

To produce a pasta from a blend of African yam bean flour and wheat flour that will be acceptable by the consumers.

The objectives of these research are:

1.To determine the proximate composition of African yam bean flour

2.To determine the proximate composition of wheat flour.

3.To determine some functional properties such as oil absorption capacity, water absorption capacity and gelation temperature of both the wheat and African yam bean flour.

4.To determine the proximate composition of the pasta produced from the composite flour.

5.To determine the cooking time and breaking strength of the pasta produced from composite flour.

6.To determine the sensory properties of the pasta produced from the composite flour.