Abstract

The study was conducted with the objective of improving Food nutritional quality in Complementary food through Maize-Cowpea Blends Maize Melkassa 7 and two cowpea varieties Asebot and Bole were collected from Melkassa Agricultural Research Center 100 seed weight volume and density measure of two cowpea varieties were done Sample preparations were done after cleaning soaking dehulling cowpea milling and sieving Proximate composition analyses were done for grains And a 25 07 21 20 and 10 14 protein contents 3 71 2 61 and 1 01 ash content were observed on Asebot Bole and Melkassa 7 Maize respectively which are significantly different at P 0 05 Based on this Asebot variety cowpea was selected and blended with maize Melkassa 7 to 67 33 maize-cowpea ratios to achieve protein need in the complementary food produced Further sample preparations were done by blending fermenting for 0 hr 24 hr and 48 hr tray drying for 24h and making flour According to the analysis protein and ash were significantly increased at P 0 05 while carbohydrate fat and fiber decreased Mineral content Fe Zn and P between blends with fermentation time was increased at 6 395 to 7 245 3 01 to 4 25 and 229 94 to 238 94 mg 100g respectively With fermentation time phytate and tannins content was decreased at 54 50 and 34 12 respectively Except Fe all minerals were bioavailable and effect of fermentation was observed Fermentation had a significant p 0 05 increasing effect on titratable acidity dispersibility whereas decreasing effect on pH bulk density water absorption oil absorption ScMF 24 have scored highest sensory values 8 2 7 7 8 4 and 8 1 for color aroma taste and overall acceptability respectively Steam treatment fermentation and utilization of yellow maize has significantly affected the product performance In general Fermentation and steamed cowpea fortification caused an increase in protein ash TTA and improve mineral