ABSTRACT

Production and evaluation of breakfast cereals using maize and cocoa powder were carried out in this study. Flour and grit were produced from healthy maize. Cocoa powder was purchased from the market. The maize flour/ grit and cocoa powder were blended to give the following ratios 90:10 (sample (HHH). 85:15 (sample AAA), 80:20 (sample BBB), 75:25 (sample MMM) and 100:0 (sample K.KK.) maize flour/grit: cocoa powder breakfast cereals respectively. The functional properties, proximate, mineral, vitamin and sensory evaluation ofthe blends were evaluated. The result ofthe functional properties showed that the bulk density, OAC (oil absorption capacity), WAC (water absorption capacity), swelling index, and wettability of the breakfast cereals ranged from 0.565 to 0.695 g/ml, 1.75 to 2.55 g/g. 1.60 to 2.40g/ml, 1.21 to 2.11. and 18.50 to 36.00 secs respectively. The proximate composition result showed that the fat (2.00 to 3.70%) and ash (1.70 to 3.30%) increased, while the fiber (2.70 to 1.75%), protein (10.35 to 8.68%) and carbohydrate (77.65 to 75.93%) contents ofthe samples decreased with increase in proportion of Cocoa powder in the blends. Zinc (1.64 to 2.54 mg/lOOg). phosphorus (220.99 to 307.84 mg/lOOg). iron (2.51 to 3.86 mg/lOOg) and vitamin Bi (0.13 to 0.44mg/l00g), B2(0.21 to 0.31 mg/lOOg), B; (2.53 to 4.11mg/100g) and A (21.08 to 38.68 pg/lOOg) content of the samples were significantly decreased by the increase in the replacement level of maize flour/grit with cocoa powder. The result of the sensory evaluation showed that the sensory acceptability of the breakfast cereals in terms of taste. Appearance, aroma, texture, crispiness and acceptability decreased as the level of substitution of maize with Cocoa powder increased. The results gotten showed that cocoa powder can be incorporated into breakfast cereals as it improved the mineral contents of all the samples as indicated in the increase in ash content.