Effects of Blend Formulation on Quality Characteristics of Mordum (A Nigerian Multi-Grain Breakfast Cereal) Fortified with Grain Legume or Powdered Milk

In this present study, mordum a millet-rice based Nigerian breakfast meal was produced from blends consisted of rice, millet or rice, maize, each fortified with cowpea, soybean or powdered milk(cereal1:cereal2:legume/milk or cereal2:cereal1:llegume/milk) in the ratios of 50:30:20 or 30:50:20. Nine spiced multigrain blends were produced and subjected to physicochemical and sensory evaluations. Percentage retentions on sieves revealed that the main mass fraction of the blends was 224-300 µm, however blends containing powdered milk were finer. Solubility (4.85-8.95%) and swelling power (2.71-3.27%) of the blends were generally low while water absorption capacity (159%-221%) and bulk density (0.7895-0.9181 g/ml) were moderately high. Moisture, crude protein, crude fat, total ash, crude fiber and carbohydrate varied significantly (p<0.05): 5.03-10.30%, 10.46-20.15%, 7.01-12.08%, 2.45-4.20%, 1.52-3.38%, and 52.57-68.50% respectively. In order of dominance, the mineral elements were (mg/100g): 226.08-356.68 K, 220.69-360.34 Ca, 13.32-40.00 Mg, 5.34-9.21 P, 3.67-8.14 Fe, and 3.32-8.34 Zn. Bacterial and fungal populations of the blends were satisfactorily low, less than104cfu/g and 103cfu/g respectively, perhaps due to relatively low moisture contents of the blends. The overall sensory attributes of the gruel containing milk and maize were the best. Although the nutritive value of the blends were generally enhanced, however the study concluded by recommending commercial production of ready-to-cook blends containing rice and maize and fortified with either soybean or milk for improved nutritional status of the mordum consumers.