Effect of Processing On Bioavailability of Macronutrients and Minerals in Complementary Food Formulated From Cereals and Supplemented With Legumes

Gogonte Hezekiah Amah; Boluwatife Florence Sode; Babafemi Tosin Ogunbiyi; Oluwaseyi Adegoke Adetunji; Odutola Osilesi

doi:10.37591/rrjofst.v10i1.3007

Abstract

Low bioavailability of protein and minerals in plant-based foods has contributed to malnutrition challenge confronting young humans in developing settings. Therefore, roasting, germination, fermentation and boiling were investigated as possible household processing methods that could improve bioavailability of a cereal-based complementary food supplemented with soy bean and groundnut. Standard methods were adopted in evaluating the bioavailability of these nutrients in male weaning albino rat model. The results obtained showed that the bioavailability of macronutrients in the food range from 67.68±12.36% to 98.17±0.10%, 67.71±5.29% to 92.41±1.99%, 63.58±8.50% to 83.98±3.57% and 71.66±7.33% to 78.60±4.00% for protein, fat, carbohydrate and crude fiber, respectively. The highest bioavailability of macronutrients was observed in protein of roasted food. Calcium (Ca) and Potassium (K) in roasted food and in the unprocessed food showed the highest and lowest bioavailability of 94.10±1.65% and 51.85±5.63%, respectively when considering the macro minerals. Boiling and roasting promoted bioavailability of Zinc (Zn) (96.61±0.57%), Iron (Fe) (83.52±4.08%) and Copper (Cu) (80.72±3.81%), respectively. The present study demonstrated that some of the processing methods promoted bioavailability of the different nutrients considered variedly though, roasting seemed much more promising in the final analyses. Again, the household processing methods considered can also be proportionately relevant in improving bioavailability of macronutrients and minerals in the plant-based complementary food considered if applied appropriately.

Abstract

Keywords