Optimization of Nutrient Composition of Foam-Mat Dried Protein Rich Weaning Food Supplement Produced from Carrot Juice (Daucus Carota), Egg White and Crayfish (Nematopalaemon Hastatus)

This study was carried out to evaluate the quality of protein rich food supplement of foam-mat dried carrot juice (Daucus carota), egg white and crayfish (Nematopalaemon hastatus) blend. Carrot root was cleaned and the juice extracted. Crayfish was cleaned, dried, milled and sieved; while egg white was separated from the egg yolk. The egg white was whipped to foam before crayfish and carrot juice were mixed. The design keys were egg white (20 – 30 g) crayfish (30-40 g) and carrot juice 30-40 g) which generated fourteen (14) runs. The samples generated were mixed and dried using foam-mat drying and subsequently subjected to laboratory analysis including proximate and mineral composition using standard methods. The result showed that in proximate composition, the higher the carrot juice powder, the higher the carbohydrate and moisture. The protein and fibre content of the samples also increased with higher crayfish addition. There was also high ash content in all samples; high fat was observed in samples with high concentration of carrot juice. The mineral composition showed that the calcium, potassium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and iron content increased with increase in the concentration of crayfish in the supplement. Ash, protein, carbohydrate, calcium, iron and phosphorus were selected for optimization. Optimized mixture ratio was 30 g egg white, 35.969 g crayfish and 34.031 g carrot juice powder and possessed the best nutrients of interest for child health with 92.9% desirability.