Effect of Processing on Chemical Composition of Fluted Pumpkin (<i>Telfairia Occidentalis</i>) Seed Flour and Sensory Evaluation of Soup Produced from The Flour

Abstract

Background: Soup thickeners usage/cost is on the increase. Fluted pumpkin seed can provide nutrients, food diversity/nutrition security and serve as soup thickener.
Objective: To determine effect of processing on chemical composition of fluted pumpkin seed flour and sensory evaluation of soup from the flour.
Materials and methods: Seeds were removed from pod, washed, dehulled, sliced into pieces, divided into three parts for boiling, roasting and fermentation. Samples were dried, milled, sieved, packaged and analyzed for chemical composition using standard methods and sensory evaluation of soup samples using 9-point hedonic scale. Data was analyzed with ANOVA and means separated with Duncan Multiple Range Test at p <0.05 level of significance.
Results: Carbohydrate (40.65%) of boiled sample was higher than other samples. Fermented sample's protein (26.06%) was significantly higher (p <0.05) than boiled (23.43%) and roasted (21.89%). Fat (26.59%) was highest in roasted. Ash (3.23%) in the boiled differed significantly (p < 0.05) from fermented (3.11%) and roasted (2.93%). Vitamin C (0.55mg/100g), B-Carotene (3.59 µg/100g), Vitamin B3 (0.26mg/100g) and vitamin E (0.43mg/100g) were higher in fermented sample. Iron (3.96mg/100g) and zinc (2.68mg/100g) were significantly higher (p <0.05) in the fermented sample. The swelling index (5.24%), oil absorption (15.33%), water absorption (18.67%) of fermented sample was higher than other samples. Phytate, tannin, oxalate in all the samples were within safe level. Boiled sample was most accepted (sensory) following the control (Detarium microcarpium).
Conclusion: Fermented and boiled samples were better in nutrients, functional properties, anti-nutrients and soup thickener.

Keywords: Fluted pumpkin seed flour, nutrient composition, sensory evaluation, fermentation, boiling