ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the Estimated glycemic index and sensory attributes of dough meal produced from optimized flour blends of quality protein maize, soybean curd residue, and cassava. The quality protein maize, soybean curd residue, and cassava tubers were processed into flour. The different flours from soybean curd residue, quality protein maize and cassava were formulated in the different ratios of 32.56% Soybean Curd Residue %: 17.44% QPM: 50% Cassava flour blends, 30.54% Soybean Curd Residue %: 15% QPM: 54.46% Cassava flour blends and 35% Soybean Curd Residue %: 15% QPM: 50% Cassava flour blends to obtain samples A, B and C. A 100% quality protein maize served as the control (sample D). The flour samples were subjected to invitro-starch digestibility analysis, Estimated glycemic index and sensory properties using standard methods. The blended flour samples alongside the control (100% maize flour) were processed into dough meal. The dough meal samples were subjected to sensory evaluation using already established procedure. The starch digestibility of the dough meal samples ranged from 33.03 to 64.86% rapidly digestible starch, 25.37 to 46.32% slowly digestible starch, 6.73 to 18.06% resistant starch, and 87.82 to 97.40% total starch, with hydrolysis index values ranging from 4.37 to 6.14 and estimated glycemic index values between 42.31 and 43.36, all classified as low glycemic index foods. Sensory evaluation revealed mean scores ranging from 4.35 to 6.90 for appearance, 5.10 to 7.00 for taste, 5.10 to 6.75 for aroma, 3.65 to 6.75 for mouldability, 5.15 to 6.75 for mouthfeel, and 5.00 to 6.95 for general acceptability, with the composite flour blends outperforming 100% maize dough meal in most attributes. The study revealed that blending quality protein maize, soybean curd residue, and cassava flours can produce dough meals with low glycemic index, desirable sensory qualities, and enhanced nutritional properties compared to 100% quality protein maize dough meal, hence, food product developers and nutritionists should promote the use of optimized composite flour blends in dough meal production to improve dietary quality, particularly for populations at risk of diet-related chronic diseases such as diabetes.