Production and Characterization of Composite Flour Made From Mixture of Cassava Fiber (Seviet), Maize and Plantain, Intended for Cooked-Dough

The study aimed to reduce hunger in Nigeria by turning cassava by-products (seviet), maize, and plantain into nutritious food for cooked doughbb (‘swallow’) in form of Semovita, garri, pounded yam or cassava ‘fufu’. The cassava roots were cleaned, washed, peeled, ground, and then the extracted fiber was dewatered, dried, milled, and sieved. Unripe plantain was washed, peeled, sliced, dried, milled and sieved. The maize grain was cleaned, winnowed, sorted, dried, milled, oven-dried, and sieved. The design keys were cassava fiber X1 (10 – 30 g), maize flour X2 (50 – 60 g), and plantain flour X3 (20 – 30 g), which generated sixteen (16) runs. The samples generated were mixed, packed, stored, and used for laboratory analysis. The composite flour’s proximate, sensory, and functional properties were assessed. Moisture content ranged from 10.9 to 12.45 %, while fiber content varied between 3.43 and 5.67 %. The protein content increased from 7.58 to 10.26 % following adjustments to the levels of cassava fiber, maize flour, and plantain flour. Fat content spanned 2.70 to 3.83%, while ash content ranged from 3.27 to 3.87%. Carbohydrate content varied between 66.15 and 69.53%, depending on ingredient ratios. The results were statistically analyzed to determine the means, standard deviations using Statistical Package for Service Solution (SPSS) Software Version 25, while Design Expert Version 12 was used to determine the ANOVA, Mathematical model, Regression equation, Coefficient value and other parameters. Sensory evaluation utilized a 9-point hedonic scale, identifying the best texture in a flour mix containing 17.16 g cassava fiber, 52.84 g maize flour, and 30 g plantain flour, scoring 8.10 for texture. Protein, ash, fat, and carbohydrate were chosen for optimization using Design Expert Version 12, with the objectives of maximizing protein and ash levels while minimizing fat and carbohydrate contents. Optimized mixture ratio was 15.006 g cassava fiber, 60 g maize and 24.9994 g plantain flours with 90.10% desirability.