INTRODUCTION
Food
consumption patterns among rural families in Nigeria have been reported to be
dominantly local staple food (Maxiya-Dixon et
al., 2004). Cassava has been known to play vital roles in the food security
of Nigeria (Sanni, 2002). Cassava has been consumed in diverse forms in
Nigeria, as traditional foods in the form of gari, fufu, tapioca and has also
been processed into non-traditional products (Sanni, 2005). Consumption of
local staples without adequate sources of animal proteins has been responsible
for malnutrition among children which was reported to account for about 40%
stunted growth amongst children in Nigeria (Maxiya-Dixon et al., 2004). Animal proteins have been found to be non-affordable
especially by the poor hence, food fortification of high carbohydrate foods
with legumes has been reported to improve the nutritional density of most foods
(Potter and Hotchkiss, 1998). Pigeon pea
with local names fiofio (Igbo), aduwa (Hausa), and otili (Yoruba) is an underutilized tropical legume in Nigeria. It is one of the most drought tolerant
legumes with the potential of mitigating the impacts of climate change in the
tropics (Odeny, 2007). It is described as the only crop that yield some grains
during dry spells when other legumes such as field beans have wilted and dried
up (Odeny, 2007). Pigeon pea offers the benefits of soil quality and fertility
in replenishing nutrient depleted soils.
Pigeon
pea seed is a cheap, nutritious and healthy legume of various uses with healing
and medicinal value. It is a rich source of protein, fibre, minerals and
vitamins (Fasoyiro et al, 2006).
Fibre has been known to aid digestion and to be good for colon health in
preventing haemorrhoid. It is being reported to be low in lipoprotein
cholesterol (Mayilvaganan et al,
2004). Its anti-antioxidant and inflammatory properties have also been reported
(Lai et al, 2012), also its hypocholesterolmic effect by Manzo and Vitor (2017). It has
been developed at IAR&T into a number of food products with cassava and
maize to improve the nutritional quality of these staples (Fasoyiro and
Arowora, 2013, Fasoyiro et al, 2013).
There is the need for smallholder rural
cassava growing communities to improve their diets with locally available
legumes and to be encouraged in planting.
Akufo Farm Settlement, Iddo, Ibadan is known for predominantly growing
cassava. The farmers also previously grew pigeon pea which they are no more
growing. The objective of the study was to assess the current knowledge of
Akufo women in cassava processing, training in cassava fortified pigeon pea
processing, and evaluate the participants’ sensory acceptability of the
products.
MATERIALS AND METHOD
Cassava flour
was obtained from College of Agricultural Production, Moor Plantation, Ibadan
and the pigeon pea seeds were obtained from Bodija market.
Pre-test for current knowledge
pretest was
conducted for fourteen (14) women at Akufo Farm settlement, Iddo, Ibadan, a
predominant cassava growing area. Information was collected on age, work type,
education status, previous training in food processing and products, previous
training in cassava processing, using previous training for income generation
Dissemination
and demonstration of cassava-pigeon pea technologies
The
processing technologies for the products were demonstrated during a training
organized for encouraging the use of pigeon pea. Fourteen (14) women were
present as participants. They were trained to process whole cassava flour,
whole pigeon pea flour, and whole cassava chinchin, cassava-pigeon pea chinch
in, whole cassava puff puff, cassava-pigeon pea puffpuff, whole cassava meal,
and cassava-pigeon pea meal.
Whole pigeon pea flour:
this
was prepared using Fasoyiro et al
(2006) method in which pigeon pea seeds were soaked in warm water for 15 min
and then dehulled by hand. The dehulled seeds are then spread on thin aluminium
containers and allowed to dry.
Whole cassava puffpuff:
cassava
flour of about 400 grams of mixed flour, one tea spoon of yeast and 50 gram of
sugar were added and mixed with the flour. About 250 ml of water was used to
mix the flour, and left to proof for 30 minutes before frying in hot oil for 3
min.
Cassava pigeon pea puffpuff:
cassava
flour was mixed with pigeon pea flour at ratio 7:3 to form about 400 grams of
mixed flour. One tea spoon of yeast and 50 gram of sugar were added and mixed
with the flour. About 250 ml of water was used to mix the flour, and left to
proof for 30 minutes before frying in hot oil for 3 min.
Whole cassava chinchin:
cassava
flour of about 400 grams of mixed flour. One tea spoon of baking powder and 50
grams of sugar were added and mixed with the flour. About 250 ml of water was
used to mix the flour, and left to proof for 30 minutes before frying in hot
oil for 3 min.
Cassava pigeon pea puffpuff:
cassava
flour was mixed with pigeon pea flour at ratio 7:3 to form about 400 grams of
mixed flour. One tea spoon of baking powder and 50 gram of sugar were added and
mixed with the flour. About 250 ml of water was used to mix the flour, and left
to proof for 30 minutes before frying in hot oil for 3 min.
Whole cassava meal:
Two
cups (about 200 gram) of cassava flour was added to boiling water (200 ml) and
stirred till set.
Cassava-pigeon pea meal:
Two
cups of mixed cassava flour and pigeon pea flour at ratio 7:3 (a 100 gram)
cassava flour was added to boiling water (200 ml) and stirred till set.
Testing
of sensory acceptability processed products by trained participants
Farmers’ community sensory
acceptability testing:
Sensory evaluation of the prepared
cassava products forms whole cassava or fortified cassava; puffpuff, chinchin
and meal were done. Sensory evaluation was
carried out to assess the acceptability
of the products using the method of Iwe (2002).
The product was analyzed for appearance, colour, flavor, texture, taste
and overall acceptability by fourteen
(14) participants. Products were presented as random coded samples. Whole
samples were used as the reference sample. The samples were independently
evaluated using a nine-point hedonic scale to determine the preference of each
panelist. Ratings were: 1 = “extremely dislike”, 2= “dislike very much”, 3=
“dislike moderately”, 4= “dislike slightly”, 5= “neither like or dislike”, 6=
“like slightly”, 7= “like moderately”, 8= “like very much” and 9 = “extremely
like” (Iwe, 2003). The data were
statistically analyzed mean analyzed by T-test by SPSS version 20.
Post test
evaluation
The participants were evaluated after the training for the following;
understanding of food processing after training, understanding of cassava
processing, mentioning cassava improved products, processing improved cassava
products for income generation.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1 shows
that women farmers in Akufo assessed has
the age range of 21-30, 31-40, 41- 50, and 51-50 with age range of 51-60 being
the majority of 50%. The women had work type ranging from farming, tailoring to
trading while 7.1% was a student and 28.6% were unemployed. The majority of the
women had secondary school education (50%) and up to postgraduate (7.1%).
Table 1: Information on participants
|
Participants
|
Frequency
|
Percentage (%)
|
|
Age
21-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
|
1
1
5
7
|
7.1
7.1
35.7
50.0
|
|
Work type
Farmers
Student
Tailor
Trader
Unemployed
|
5
1
1
1
4
|
47.1
7.1
7.1
7.1
28.6
|
|
Education
No
education
Secondary
Tertiary
Postgraduate
|
3
7
3
1
|
24.3
50.0
24.3
7.1
|
Table 2 shows the previous knowledge in food processing through
training. Nine (64.3%) had previous
training in food processing and (42.9%) had previous training in cassava
processing. Previous cassava training showed were in traditional and
non-traditional products processing; flour,
gari, tapioca and fufu in which
28.9% of participants used previous knowledge in generating income.
Table 2: Pre –test results of participants before training
|
Previous
training in food processing
Yes
No
No answer
|
Frequency
9
4
1
|
Percentage
64.3
28.6
7.1
|
|
Previous processing in cassava processing
Yes
No
No answer
|
7
6
1
|
50.0
42.6
7.1
|
|
Previous income generation using training
Yes
No
No answer
|
4
6
4
|
42.9
28.9
28.9
|
Table 3 shows the consumer acceptability of the processed
products. The parameters assessed were
appearance, colour, flavor, texture and overall acceptability compared to
cassava-pigeon pea products. Whole cassava puffpuff had higher mean score in
the range of 7.29-8.38 for quality parameters assessed while cassava pigeon pea
was in the range of 5.30-6.21. Whole cassava puffpuff had the highest overall
acceptability of 8.38. Whole cassava chinchin also had the highest score of
8.31. It is also noted that generally whole cassava chinchin scored higher
values when compared with cassava-pigeon pea chinchin which scored within
7.21-8.31 compared to whole cassava chinchin; 7.50-8.31. Cassava-pigeon meal
however had higher acceptability than whole cassava meal with mean score within
7.08 to 7.36 while whole cassava meal was 6.23-6.93.
Training in food processing will not only strengthen the current
knowledge of participant, but will also avail them with the necessary skills to
boost their household nutrition and the potential for increased income and
livelihood.
Table 4 shows the post test result. More than eighty percent women
farmers (85.7%) had better understanding of food processing, 78.7% had better
understanding of cassava processing and nutritionally enhancing, and 85.7% were
ready to generate income through the products.
CONCLUSION
Pre-test result showed that the women in Akufo community were trained
in traditional cassava processing. The result of consumer acceptability test
shows that the products were acceptable among the participants. Post test
result also showed that the participants gained better understanding and were
willing to generate income in cassava-pigeon pea processing. Products of improved cassava flour processing
with pigeon peas were disseminated to encourage improved nutrition and
livelihood among cassava growing communities. These value added products have
been shown to be nutritionally better in terms of protein to help address
malnutrition especially among children when consumed in form of snacks. Also to
the women, selling of the products will help to boost household income and
self-reliance as a business among the trained unemployed women.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The team will like to acknowledge the support of Mr. Faseki of Akufo
Community.
CONFLICTS OF
INTERESTS
There is no conflict of interest.
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