ABSTRACT

The study elucidates the production and quality evaluation of bread from blends of cocoyam corms, soy bean and wheat flours. The flours were prepared using wheat, cocoyam and soybean. Five samples were used such as sample A (100% wheat flour ), sample B (90% wheat flour and 10% cocoyam/soy flour) sample C (85% wheat flour and 15% cocoyam /soy flour) sample D (80% wheat flour and 20% cocoyam /soy flour) and sample E (75% wheat flour and 25% cocoyam /soy flour). The results showed that the maximum content of moisture, ash, crude fat, crude fibre, crude protein and carbohydrate recorded in these samples were (28.80%, 2.50%, 9.50%, 1.70%, 14.70% and 50.75%)respectively, with a minimum content of (26.60%, 1.60%, 8.60%, 0.80%, 9.45% and 45.00%) respectively. The maximum concentration of minerals; Ca, Mg, P, Fe, K and Zn, observed were 82.40mg/100g,50.22mg/100g, 106.15mg/100g,3.18mg/100g,119.56mg/100g and 3.92mg/100g respectively, with a minimum concentration of 73.62mg/100g, 36.45mg/100g,81.28mg/100g,1.54mg/100g,83.58mg/100g and 1.70mg/100g respectively. Maximum concentration of vitamins B2,B3,A and C recorded were (0.214,1.15, 8.22 and 4.22)mg/100g respectively with a minimum concentration of (0.170,0.29,4.79 and 3.23)mg/100g respectively. Samples E (75% wheat flour and 25% cocoyam /soy flour) and D (80% wheat flour and 20% cocoyam /soy flour) had te highest protein content of 14.70 and 13.30 respectively.   The physical properties of the bread revealed a decrease in loaf volume and specific volume as the proportion of cocoyam / soy flour blend increased and an increase in loaf weight as the proportion increased. The sensory evaluation of the bread samples on a nine- point hedonic scale revealed that sample B (90% wheat flour and 10% cocoyam/soy flour)  with a general acceptability of 6.90, compared favorably with bread made from 100% wheat flour.