Journal EFFECTS OF TREATMENT METHODS ON SOME PROPERTIES OF BAMBARA NUT (VOANDZEIA

The effects of some treatments of Bambara nut (Voandzeia subterranean L. Thouars) seeds on the functional and pasting properties and proximate composition of flours milled from the treated seeds were investigated. The first portion of the brown variety of the legume was soaked in cold portable water for 24 hrs, the second and third portions were soaked separately in cold portable water at room temperature for 3 hrs, followed by draining, and controlled germination on cleaned, moistened sawdust in opaque plastic trays for 48 and 72 hrs respectively. The soaked and sprouted samples were then drained and harvested seperately, followed by drying at 60oC for 8 hrs in a locally fabricated air-dryer. The fourth portion was taken as un-treated sample. Each portion was then manually de-hulled and milled into flour of particle size < 300microns. The flours were analyzed for proximate composition and physical and rheological properties. Each flour sample was used to prepare steam bean paste gel “Moinmoin ” which was then evaluated for sensory parameters. Water-soaking produced no apprecia-ble effect on proximate composition, while sprouting produced marginal increase in protein (22.24+0.88 for sample sprouted for 48 hrs compared to 20.73+1.24 for untreated sample) and crude fibre contents but reduction in fat and carbohydrate contents compared to untreated sample. Sproutin