RESUMEN
Introduction: The utilization of sprouted meals in beer production and enhancing the physicochemical properties of supplementary foods is widespread in Africa. This work aimed to determine the influence of soaking, germination, maturation and variety conditions on the physicochemical properties, proteolytic activity, free amino nitrogen (FAN) and soluble protein contents of Coca-sr and Atp-Y maize varieties. Methods: To achieve this, the central composite design (CCD) was used for the optimization of five parameters, namely soaking time (18-42 h), plant salt concentration (0.5-1.2%), soaking temperature (25-41°C), sprouting time (80-195 h) and ripening time (17.50-42 h), and following dependent variables were investigated: proteolytic activity, FAN content and soluble protein. Optimal samples flours obtained were then subsequently subjected to physicochemical and functional analysis. Results: The analysis of results showed that the linear, interactive and quadratic effects of the factors significantly (p<0.05) affected the proteolytic activity, FAN and soluble protein contents of both varieties. The direction of each factor's variation and its effects were not similar in the two varieties. The optimal malting conditions were 7.31 h soaking with 1.678% vegetable salt at a temperature of 34.65°C followed by sprouting for 245.59 h and maturation for 0.765 h for the Atp-Y variety. For the Coca-sr variety, it requires 1.608 h of soaking with 1.678% vegetable salt at a temperature of 51.93°C followed by 273.94 h and 58.73 h for sprouting and ripening time respectively. The meals of Coca-sr produces using these optimal conditions showed a significantly (p<0.05) higher proteolytic activity, FAN and soluble protein content. The amylolytic activity was more pronounced in the Atp-Y variety, as was the content of essential amino acids. The above optimal conditions reduced the content of anti-nutrients (phytates, saponins, oxalates, condensed and hydrolysable tannins), improved the availability of minerals (Ca and Mg), reduced the pH, mass density, water retention capacity and swelling rate. Conclusion: As a result, the optimal flours of these two maize varieties could be applied in the formulation of supplementary foods, bakery products and beer by industrialists.
RESUMEN
Protein-energy malnutrition and mineral deficiencies in children under five years are major problems in developing countries. The present study was thus carried out with the aim of proposing a weaning flour based on parboiled rice, spirulina, and cashew nut that meets the nutritional needs of children aged 06 to 24 months. To achieve this, the mixture design approach (a 9-point augmented simplex-centroid design) was used to obtain optimal blend of flour. The responses evaluated where proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, minerals (iron, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, and zinc), carotenoids, fibers, and ash content. The rheological analyses (rapid viscosity analysis) were carried out on the optimal flour. It results that the optimal proportion of parboiled rice, spirulina, and cashew nut was, respectively, 85.80, 5.96, and 8.23. These conditions result in a protein, lipids, carbohydrates, carotenoids, ash, fibers, calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc content of 14.15%, 9.04%, 68.46%, 8.2 mg, 3% ash, 4.98%, 510 mg, 16 mg, 65 mg, and 5 mg, respectively, and an energy value of 411.8 kcal. These optimate conditions resulted also in a peak viscosity of 60 cP and a final viscosity of 86 cP which are lower than the established value (1000 cP). Thus, the weaning flour based on parboiled rice, spirulina, and cashew nut obtained in these optimate conditions can meet the nutritional needs of children aged 06 to 24 months and is therefore an efficient weaning food to fight against child malnutrition.
