Effects of Fermentation of Cashew Kernel on the Nutrient Value of Cassava Semolina Flour (Attieke)
Abstract
Protein-energy malnutrition in children is a public health problem. This nutrition problem is attributed to inappropriate complementary feeding. Indeed, the cost of high-quality food supplements is high and traditional food supplements have a low nutritional quality related to the presence of antinutritional factors. The objective of this study is to determine acceptability and antinutritional factors in attieke / cashew kernel composite flours. The cashew kernel flour is produced after various technological treatments to obtain two types of flour (unfermented flour and fermented flour). Physico-chemical and sensory analyzes are performed. The results showed that fermentation has an influence on the parameters studied. The protein contents of the unfermented formulations range from 7.53% to 10.62% while those of the fermented formulations range from 8.23% to 11.53%. Both formulations contain antinutritional factors.
Keywords
Download Options
Introduction
Breast milk is considered the best food for the newborn. It provides children from zero to four months with all the essential elements in balanced proportions. It also protects them against infections. Beyond this age, breast milk is no longer sufficient to fully cover energy and protein requirements (WHO, 2003). For example, the WHO recommends that mothers feed their babies exclusively for up to 4-6 months and continue breastfeeding as much as possible for up to two years, while gradually introducing other foods including those from the family dish. It is at this time that infant malnutrition takes place, which is due to the different complementary foods given to infants. These foods are usually made from cereal flour, tubers and roots, which are high in carbohydrates and low in protein.
It is clear that in the countries of the third world, there are crops that produce foods with high calorific value and protein. Thus several attempts are made to improve the nutritional quality of flours used as complementary foods. Enrichment is defined as the addition to a food of one or more essential nutrients, normally contained or not in the food, with the objective of preventing or correcting a deficiency of one or more nutrients, within a population or specifically vulnerable population groups (WHO, 1994). Fermentation also reduces antinutritional factors that affect the bioavailability of minerals (Yao, et al., 2009). It improves the organoleptic qualities of food and limits the development of pathogenic microorganisms and / or degradation (Caplice and Fitzgerald, 1999), through the acidification of the environment. This study aims to determine the effect of enrichment and fermentation of cashew kernel meal on attieke flour.
Conclusion
Antinutritional factors in the fermented formulations are lower than those of the unfermented formulations. This could increase the digestibility of the nutrients in these flours. However, the boils of fermented flours are less appreciated than the boiled flours of unfermented flours because of the very strong fermented odor. So enrichment and fermentation are strategies for improving the quality of food. These attieke / cashew almond composite flours can be used in children's diets.
