ABSTRACT

 This study investigated the proximate composition, anti-nutritional factors and functional properties of instant fufu flour produced from cassava root & plantain blend. The specific objective which guided the study was to process cassava and plantain into their respective flour, determine proximate composition, determine the anti-nutrient, detennine the functional properties, determine the vitamin contents and produce instantfufu fron:·cassavu and plantain flours and evaluate their sensory quality. Data generated were subjected to ANOVA of complete randomized design using Duncan multiple range test. Six flour samples were formulated by varying the cassava-to-plantain ratio, designated as CPFA (100% cassava), CPFB (80% cassava, 20% plantain), CPFC (60% cassava, 40% phntain), CPFD ( 40%. cassava, 60% plantain), CPFE (20% cassava. 80% plantain), and CPFF ( 100% plantain). The results showed that bulk density ranged from 0.83 g/ml in CPFF to 0.87 g/ml in CPFA, indicating that cassava-dominant samples had a higher bulk density. Water absorption capacity varied significantly (p <0.05), with CPFF having the highest value (4.50 g/ml) and CPFC the lowest (4.00 g/ml). Oil absorption capacity ranged from 1.54 g/ml in CPFC to 1.85 g/ml in CPFF, with higher plantain content contributing to improved oil absorption. The result of the antinutrient composition also revealed that cyanide content ranged from 30.21 mg/kg in CPFF to 40. 75 mg/kg in CPF A, showing that higher plantain content reduces cyanide levels. The tannin concentration increased with higher plantain content, ranging from 0.06 mg/100g in CPFA to 0.99 mg/lO0g in CPFF. The sensory evaluation revealed significant differences in appearance, texture, aroma, color, and overall acceptability (p <0.05). CPFA had the highest scores for appearance (9.69) and aroma (9.20), while CPFF was rated best for texture (7.50) and overall acceptability (7.89). CPFB and CPFE had moderate sensory scores, indicating thcir--potenti:il suitability for specific food applications. THis study concludes that blending cassava and plantain flour at different ratios cn significantly affect the physicochemical, antinutritional, and sensory properties of the flour. The results suggest that these flour blends can be optimized for various food products, providing both 1111tritional and sensory benefits.