Nutrients, antinutrients and amino acids profile of malted quality protein maize (Zea Mays L.) based ready-to-eat breakfast cereal fortified with vegetable biomaterials

Article history: Received: May 15, 2020 Accepted: June 30, 2020 Breakfast cereal was formulated from malted quality protein maize fortified with cowpea and garden egg with the view to producing a breakfast cereal of high nutrient density. The biomaterials were processed using standard methods to flour samples and blended at various ratios. The blended samples were pregelatinized, flaked, toasted and packaged. The flour and products were analysed for proximate, minerals, anti-nutrients, amino acids profile and dietary fibre using standard methods. The results showed that, as more garden egg was added, protein (9.94 10.67 %), fat (4.84 6.12 %) and fibre (4.19 7.07 %) increased. The amino acids profile recorded a boost with addition of cowpea but reduced with garden egg. The tannin (0.55 0.66 %), alkaloids (0.01 1.49 %), soluble (7.04 10.50 %) and insoluble fibre (23.38 30.50 %) increased with garden egg increase. However, the mineral content reduced with addition of garden egg. The study concluded that inclusion of cowpea and garden egg to breakfast cereal formulation boosted the nutritional value.