Browsing by Author "Kilama, Godfrey"

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    Effect of maize and oyster mushroom blending ratio on nutritional, microbial, and physico-chemical quality of maize-mushroom composite
    (Gulu University, 2022-11-23) Kilama, Godfrey
    complementary foods made from common starchy cereals like maize have been associated with high level of micronutrient deficiencies in children 6-24 months. Combining locally nutrient-dense underutilized foods like oyster mushrooms with starch-rich maize could enhance the nutritional quality of complementary foods. This study investigated how blending oyster mushrooms to maize flour would improve its nutritional, microbial, physico-chemical, and sensory quality. Refined maize flour was combined at 0% (control), 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% (w/w) with flour derived from thoroughly cleaned blanched, and sun-dried oyster mushrooms. The nutritional, microbiological, physical-chemical, and sensory qualities of the composites were assessed using standard procedures. With all ratios of mushroom, the nutritional quality of the composites was significantly improved. For example, adding 10%, 20%, 30%, or 40% oyster mushrooms to maize flour increased the protein content from 6.67% to 8.74%, 6.67% to 11.04%, 6.67% to 14.23%, and 6.67% to 17.87%, respectively. Ash and fiber content percentage increment ranged from 0.31 to 2.48% and 0.22 to 3.04%, respectively. The composite's mineral composition had percentages increment ranging from 2.7 to 8.88% for iron, 1.9 to 6% for zinc, 26.03 to 55.33% for calcium, and 15.24 to 51.11% for magnesium. The physico-chemical quality of the composites was better, but the microbiological quality was negatively affected. Despite bioavailability limitations, theoretical nutritional calculations showed that consuming 250g/day of a blend that contains 10% mushroom contributes roughly 75% of the iron and 187% of the zinc requirement of children 6-24 months. The sensory evaluations of the composite-made porridges revealed poor ratings for the color, flavor, aftertaste, and aroma, but had no impact on the acceptability of the porridges made from blends containing 10% mushroom. The viscosity and water absorption of the composites, in particular, favorably impacted caregivers’ acceptability, whereas the capability to absorb oil decreased caregivers’ acceptability. For children 6-24 months who rely on maize porridge as a complementary food, this study suggests combining oyster mushroom with maize flour to increase the nutritional content of the flour mixture.