Proximate Composition, Sensory Properties and Microbial Quality of Chin-chin Developed from Wheat and African Walnut Flour Blends for Household Food Security
N. J. Deedam *
Department of Food Science and Technology, Rivers State University, Nkpolu Oroworukwo, P.M.B. 5080, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
M. A. China
Department of Food Science and Technology, Rivers State University, Nkpolu Oroworukwo, P.M.B. 5080, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
H. I. Wachukwu
Department of Food Science and Technology, Rivers State University, Nkpolu Oroworukwo, P.M.B. 5080, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the proximate composition, sensory properties and microbial quality of chin-chin developed from wheat and African walnut flour blends as a means of achieving household food security.
Methodology: African walnut was processed into flour. Chin-chin was prepared from blends of wheat and African walnut flours using 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50 of wheat flour to African walnut flour (AWF), and 100% wheat flour as control. Samples were subjected to sensory evaluation within 30 min of production. Proximate analysis was carried out using standard methods. The samples were also stored for 3 weeks and evaluated at weekly intervals for total bacterial and fungal counts.
Results: composition of the chin-chin revealed a significant (p<0.05) increase in ash (0.42-1.38%), fat (34.39-40.03%), crude protein (5.53-7.95% protein), crude fibre (0.98-1.86%), and energy contents (402.65-414.08kcal) with a decrease in moisture (3.31-4.85%) and carbohydrate (45.59-53.84%) . Sensory analysis of the chin-chin showed that the control chin-chin was more preferred than all other samples. This was followed closely by chin-chin substituted with 10% African walnut flour having mean scores above 6 for all sensory attributes. Total bacterial counts (TBCs) and fungal counts (TFCs) of the chin-chin samples were observed to increase during storage. TBCs and TFCs of chin-chin samples after 3 weeks of storage ranged from 6.00×103-8.50×103cfu/g and 6.80×103-8.00×103cfu/g, respectively. The samples presented adequate microbiological conditions and were within recommended safe limit of microbial guidelines.
Conclusion: The findings of the study showed that chin-chin of acceptable sensory attributes and improved nutritional content could be produced with up to 10% African walnut flour (AWF) level. In effect, chin-chin substituted with African walnut flour can be consumed by households thereby improving their nutritional status and eradicating food insecurity and malnutrition which is common among households.
Keywords: Chin-chin, African walnut, proximate, sensory, microbial, household, food security