EFFECT OF PRE-PROCESSING ON THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL

Morama bean (Tylosema esculentum) is an indigenous bean of the Kalahari region of Botswana. It has high nutritional content and is believed to also contain high levels of phytonutrients. The bean is traditionally eaten roasted as a snack but there is increasing emphasis to develop other innovative high value morama products, while maintaining its healthful properties. The effect of pre-processing treatments including salt-water-blanching, sodium-bicarbonate-blanching, hot-water-blanching on the proximate composition, total solids non-fat, colour, viscosity, sediments, pH and titratable acidity of morama milk was assessed. Consumer preference of the morama milk was also studied, using a soymilk control. Milk extracts were stored at 4°C for up to 24 hours and analyses conducted using standard methods. The findings indicated that the pre-processing treatments produced significant differences (p < 0.05) in protein (1.50 ± 0.18g/100g) and carbohydrate (1.09 ± 0.94g/100g) composition of the baking soda blanched milk sample. The viscosity of the baking soda blanched milk (18.91 ± 3.38cps) was significantly higher than that of the othe