article · Journal of Advances in Food Science & Technology
Combining nixtamalised maize and fermented cassava flours in a two-to-one ratio improves the functional, nutritional, and sensory qualities of composite fufu. When evaluating blends of nixtamalised or untreated maize combined with fermented or non-fermented cassava, the treatments caused significant differences in performance. The formulation pairing nixtamalised maize with fermented cassava achieved the highest water absorption capacity, swelling index, thiamine, and niacin, alongside the lowest levels of tannins and phytates. Meanwhile, the blend combining nixtamalised maize with non-fermented cassava recorded the highest protein content at 21.67 per cent, alongside superior ash, calcium, and potassium levels. This non-fermented cassava blend also achieved the highest sensory acceptability score of 8.15, demonstrating that these processing methods effectively enhance nutritional quality and consumer appeal in staple foods.
Staple diets based heavily on cassava and maize can be limited in micronutrients and protein. Demonstrating that processing techniques such as nixtamalisation and fermentation naturally enhance protein, vitamins, and minerals while decreasing antinutrients offers a practical pathway to upgrading the nutritional quality and consumer acceptance of staple foods without relying on synthetic fortification.
This work points towards applications in commercial composite flour manufacturing and packaged staple food production. The target users would be industrial food processors and millers seeking to produce enriched fufu flours. The technology is currently at an applied laboratory stage, as the findings rely on experimental formulations. Commercial readiness will require further investigation into industrial process scaling and economic feasibility assessments.
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This study evaluated the effects of nixtamalization and fermentation on the functional, nutritional, and sensory properties of maize and cassava-based fufu flours. Nixtamalized maize and fermented cassava were processed into flours and formulated in various ratios (2:1) to produce four samples: nixtamalized maize + fermented cassava (NXF), nixtamalized maize + non-fermented cassava (NXNF), non-nixtamalized maize + fermented cassava (NNF), and non-nixtamalized maize + non-fermented cassava (NNNF). All analyses were carried out using standard methods. Functional property analysis revealed significant differences (p<0.05) among samples, with NXF exhibiting the highest water absorption capacity (2.21 g/g) and swelling index (2.77 mL/g), while NXNF showed the highest bulk density (0.68 g/mL). Proximate composition indicated significant enhancement in protein (21.67% in NXNF) and ash content (3.88% in NXNF) due to the treatments. The mineral analysis demonstrated higher calcium (284.86 mg/100 g) and potassium (384.81 mg/100 g) in NXNF, while NXF displayed lower antinutrient levels, including tannins (0.58 mg/100 g) and phytates (1.47 mg/100 g), signifying improved nutritional value. Vitamin analysis revealed a significant increase in thiamine (0.55 mg/100 g) and niacin (0.65 mg/100 g) in NXF. Sensory evaluation ranked NXNF as the most preferred sample with an overall acceptability score of 8.15. The results indicate that nixtamalization and fermentation significantly improve the functional, nutritional, and sensory properties of maize and cassava-based fufu flours. It is recommended that these treatments be adopted to enhance the quality of fufu products to address nutritional deficiencies in staple diets and promote consumer acceptance. Further studies should explore scaling these processing techniques for industrial applications and evaluating their economic feasibility.
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DOI: 10.56557/jafsat/2025/v12i19100
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