ABSTRACT

Flour blends prepared from cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L) Schott) and wheat (Triticurn aestivium) at different proportions were extruded into noodles in a locally fabricated and manually operated extruder. Proximate compositions of the product samples (Noodle samples) and wheat and cocoyam flours were evaluated. The functional properties of the wheat and cocoyam flours were evaluated. The sensory properties of the noodles produced were also evaluated using the normal indomie instant noodle as a control sample. The product (noodles) had proximate compositions ranging from 3.3 8% to 4.03% moisture, 95.98% to 96.63% dry matter, 6.83% to 8.47% crude protein, 1.88% to 2.68% crude fibre, 1.82% to 2.48% crude lipid, 1.56% to 2.08% ash, 81.68% to 83.23% carbohydrate, 375.01% to 382.90% energy value. The cocoyam flour had proximate compositions of 4.8 1% moisture, 95.17% dry matter, 6.08% crude protein, 1.08% crude fibre, 1.12% crude lipid, 2.28% ash, 84.60% carbohydrate, 37.2% energy value. The wheat flour had proximate compositions of 5.28% moisture, 94.71% dry matter, 11.22% crude protein, 2.82% crude fibre, 2.17% crude lipid, 1.32% ash, 77.22% carbohydrate and 373 .22% energy value. The cocoyam oil absorption capacity of 1.66%, water absorption capacity of 2.32%, bulk density of 0.78%. foam capacity of 78.93%. emulsion capacity of 54.33%. wettahility of 10.10%. Gelatinization temperature of 77.00%. The wheat flour had of oil absorption capacity of 1 .22%, water absorption capacity of 1 .67%, bulk density of 0.66%. foam capacity of 61 .55%, emulsion capacity of 43.63%, wettability of 14.24%, gelatinization temperature of 70.33%. The sensory evaluation result showed different acceptability levels in terms of colour, texture, flavor, taste and general acceptability. The mean scores on the overall acceptability of the noodles samples ranged from 3.65 for sample 202 to 7.87 in control sample A. Noodle sample 101 (80% white cocoyam flour: 20% wheat flour) was found to be the most acceptable to the sensory evaluators.