Nutritional Compositions and Sensory Properties of Composite Flour from FARO 44 Rice (Oryza sativa)-TMS 8082 Cassava (Manihot esculenta) and Its Paste

This study was carried out to investigate the nutritional properties of unsoaked and soaked FARO 44 flour with their blends with cassava flour and the sensory evaluation of their thick paste. FAR0 44 and cassava flour were blended in the ratio of 75:25 (Unsoaked Rice and Cassava) sample, 50:50 (Unsoaked Rice and Cassava) sample, 25:75 (Unsoaked Rice and Cassava) sample, 75:25 (Soaked rice and Cassava) sample, 50:50 (Soaked rice and Cassava) sample, 25:75 (Soaked rice and Cassava) sample, 100% (cassava) sample 100% (Unsoaked Rice) sample 100% (Soaked rice) sample. The proximate analysis and mineral composition of the flour blends were conducted. Proximate composition data indicated an increased level of protein, fat, ash, crude fibre and carbohydrate (2.47-16.73%, 1.11-1.78%, 4.13-8.27%, 0.44-5.27% and 58.72-73.35%) respectively. The unsoaked and soaked rice flours and their blends where their ratios were high had higher protein content. There was a significant different (P<0.05) in the mineral content of the composites samples. Data of these study shows that the rice and cassava samples had good mineral content and the raw and soaked rice did not significantly affect the mineral content of the samples. The result indicates that vitamins A and C were significantly different (P<0.05) in the samples except for samples 100 UR and 100 SR where vitamin A was not detected. The thick paste prepared for the sensory evaluation shows that samples with 100 SR, 75 SR 25 C, 50 SR 50 C were most accepted in appearance than the other sample as compared favourably with sample 100 C. The results also show that the under-utilized cereal crop like FARO 44 rice flour and their composites with cassava are nutritionally adequate for consumption for adult and children, as well as the production of baby foods and the lot.