ABSTRACT

 Quality of breakfast cereals from blends of mungbean, millet, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes and wheat was evaluated. Breakfast cereals was produced from different flour blends (5:10:5:85, 10:10:5:75, 15:10:5:70, 20:10:5:65, 25:10:5:60 and 30:10:5:55) of mungbean, millet, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes and wheat, respectively. Breakfast cereals made with 100% wheat flour served as the control. The functional properties of the flour blends and the proximate composition, antioxidant properties, microbial load and sensory properties of the breakfast cereals were evaluated using standard laboratory procedures. The data generated were statistically analysed by One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using Statistical Product of Service Solution (Version 22.0). The result of functional properties showed the bulk density (0.74 to 0.89 g/ml), water absorption capacity (2.10 to 5.10 g/ml), oil absorption capacity (1.56 to 2.15 g/ml), wettability (1.52 to 3.26 %), foam capacity (0.00 to 10.05 %), foam stability (38.15 to 53.35 %), emulsion capacity (25.45 to 45.15 %), gelatinization temperature (50.50 to 80.50°C) and gelatinization time (87.50 to 3390.00 Sec) of the flour blends. The proximate composition of the breakfast cereals ranged from 9.82 to 11.28 %, 7.65 to 12.91 %, 2.61 to 6.94 %, 1.94 to 3.43 %, 3.11 to 4.91 % and 60.53 to 74.89 % for moisture content, crude protein, ash, fat, crude fibre and carbohydrate. The antioxidant properties of the breakfast cereals ranged from 0.22 to 8.35 mg/100g, 23.99 to 35.11 % DPPH, 243. 95 to 261 mol TE/g and 51.60 to 69 .05 µmol TE/g for carotenoid, DPPH, FRAP and ABTS, respectively. The result of microbial analysis showed the absence of bacteria and fungi load in the breakfast cereals. The sensory properties of the breakfast cereals ranged from 5.25 to 7.65, 5.25 to 7.15, 4.50 to 6.60, 5.00 to 6.55 and 5.25 to 6.95 for appearance, taste, mouth-feel, texture and general acceptability, respectively.