article · European Journal of Nutrition & Food Safety
Formulating chinchin using blends of rice flour, cowpea flour, and sweet potato flour alters the nutritional profile and consumer acceptability of the snack. Incorporating higher proportions of cowpea flour increased protein content from 9.76 percent to 16.25 percent, while fat, ash, and fibre contents varied across formulations. The addition of cowpea and sweet potato flours significantly altered mineral levels, including potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc. Significant variations were also recorded for vitamins A, B1, B2, and B3, alongside improvements in the amino acid profile as cowpea and sweet potato flour proportions increased. Moisture ranged from 5.11 percent to 7.15 percent, with carbohydrate levels spanning 50.26 percent to 68.67 percent and energy contents between 411.90 and 427.43 kilocalories per 100 grams. Sensory evaluations indicated that formulations with 90:5:5 and 80:15:5 ratios were rated favourably compared to the control.
Snack foods often provide high energy but limited micronutrients and protein. Demonstrating that conventional snacks like chinchin can be successfully enriched using composite flours of rice, cowpea, and sweet potato highlights practical ways to boost protein, essential minerals, and vitamins in popular foods without sacrificing sensory appeal.
This work applies to commercial snack producers and food processors seeking to manufacture enriched, nutrient-dense snack products. The research represents applied, laboratory-tested formulations where prototype recipes were evaluated for nutritional composition and consumer preference. Moving toward market adoption would require industrial recipe scaling, shelf-life assessments, and formal production cost evaluations based on raw ingredient availability.
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This study investigated the proximate composition, mineral content, vitamin content, amino acid profile and sensory attributes of chinchin produced from blends of rice flour (RF), cowpea flour (CPF), and sweet potato flour (SPF). All analyses were carried out using standard methods. Proximate analysis revealed moisture content ranging from 5.11 % to 7.15 %, with the highest in the 60:35:5 blend. Protein content increased significantly (9.76 to 16.25 %) with increase in CPF, while fat content ranged from 12.35 to 16.21 %, ash content from 1.60 % to 5.11 %, and fiber content from 1.87 % to 5.02 %. Carbohydrate content varied from 50.26 % to 68.67 %, and energy content from 411.90 to 427.43 kcal/100g. Addition of CPF and SPF significantly altered the mineral content of the chinchin samples as follows; Potassium (95.82 to 139.29 mg/100 g), Calcium (89.00 to 158.57 mg/100 g), Magnesium (59.06 to 93.59 mg/100 g), Phosphorous (100.14 to 162.90 mg/100 g), Iron (65.14 to 82.13 mg/100 g), Zinc (10.40 to 34.76 mg/100 g). Analysis of vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3) showed significant differences among chinchin samples. Amino acid composition improved with increased CPF and SPF. Sensory evaluation rated 90:5:5 and 80:15:5 blends favorably compared to control.
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DOI: 10.9734/ejnfs/2025/v17i11628
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