ABSTRACT

Baked beans were produced from brown and white beans (Phaseolus vuIgarus) using cassava and corn starch as the binding agents. The effects of the binders on the chemical and sensory properties of the baked beans were studied. Ash content was higher in products with cassava starch when compared to products with corn starch. The proximate composition of the samples ranged between 65 and 76%, 2.27 and 5.4 1%, 10.77 and 18.31%, 1.23 and 1.48%, 1.05 and 1.75% and 3.93 and 14.80% for the moisture, fat, protein, fibre, ash and carbohydrate contents respectively. The beans samples had higher proximate values than the control samples except in moisture and fibre content. The result of the mineral composition of the baked beans samples which ranged from 0.67 to 0.92mgi'l0Og,0.08 to 0.12%,0.11 to 0.21%,0.22 to 0.25%,0.16 to 0.17%andl.61 to 1.86mg/i oog for the phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and zinc contents respectively showed that the samples containing cassava starch had higher phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and zinc compared to the other samples. The values for the alkaloid, tannin and oxalate were lower in the cowpea samples than the control and the values ranged from 24.35 to 57.39mg/lOOg, 110.55 to 156.64mg/lOOg, 0.47 to 0.53%, 529.86 to 658.27mg/100g, 0.59 to 0.67Tu1mg and 0.37 to 0.4411u/mg for the alkaloid, tannin, oxalate, fiavonoid, trypsin inhibitor and haemagglutinin contents respectively. The sample containing cassava starch had highest value for vitamin B1and B3. The values for the B vitamins were higher in the cowpea samples than the control and ranges from 0.36 to 0.64, 0.31 to 0.41 and 0.21 to 0.43mg/lOOg for the vitamin B1, B2 and B3 contents respectively. Products containing cassava starch showed higher sensory scores which ranged between 4.45 and 7.05, 4.50 and 6.95, 5.15 and 6.95, 4.80 and 6.90, 4.75 and 7.30 for all attributes in comparison to products with corn starch and were comparable with the 4 control sample. The cassava starch had higher swelling capacity, amylose and amylopectin (0.53% to 0.57%, 30.65% to 36.36%, and 41.78% to 50.33%) respectively, while the corn starch was higher in gelation capacity and viscosity (8.00% and 9.66%) respectively. Both starch samples had same water and oil absorption capacity content (20.00 and 11.66% respectively). The results indicated that cassava starch is the better binder for developing baked beans when compared to corn starch based on chemical and sensory attributes. The. results also indicated that Brown beans is the better cultivar for developing baked beans when compared to white beans based on the chemical and sensory attributes.