ABSTRACT

 Nutritional quality of fermented flee based snack (masa) was improved by the addition of African yarn. bean. The microbiological and chemical quality of the rice masa with or • without (control) African yam bean supplementation were analyzed during production and ambient (28°C) storage. The taste, texture, aroma, colour, appearance, Geneiil : acceptability of supplemented and unsupplemented fried masa were investigated. The approximate composition of the samples were also carried out. The total viable counts (TVTs) of African yam bean supplemented rice masa decreased from 5.95 to 3.48 log10 cfug 1while the unsupplemented rice masa increased from 3.55 to 6.35' log10 cfug-1at the hour of fermentation and decreased from 6.35 to 5.43 logo cfug-' at the end of fernontation. The total fungi counts (TFCs) of both supplemeted and unsupplemented decrasd from 3.45 to 2.50 log1 cfug-' and from 2.90 to 1.75 log10 cfug-' respectively duriog fermentation: Various types of micro-organisms were isolated at the initial stags of tk fermentation including bacteria (Bacillu spp, Lactobacillus spp, Acetobacter, Ente;obacter) and fungi (Saccharmyces spp, Rhizopus spp, Aspergillus spp, Penicilliurn spp) ut beyond 8 fermentation time, few types of micro organisms (Lactobacillus spp, Saccamniyces and Rhizopu.s', Enierobacier) were isolated. There were a significant diffecnce (p< 0.05) on p" a'id titratable acidity of supplemented and unsupplemented sluri during fermentation. Stored samples exhibited unacceptable sharp population .incrcase after 24hrs with maximum load (TVCs) occurring in supplemented masa. There was significant difference (p< 0.05) in.,tasts, aroma and general acceptability of the African yarn bean (supplemented and unsuplemented) . the approximate compositioti of the p oducts indicate significant differences in moisture, ash, 'crude fiber, protein and carb iydrate