1.1 Introduction
Cassava flour is a fraction of cassava obtained from the roots. It is a good source of carbohydrates but a poor source of protein. Cassava flour differs from tapioca four in that tapioca is made from the cassava staunch of the cassava plant where cassava flour is the ground root. It is naturally glutten free. It is a good for bread, other baked food and celiac diet. Cassava flour is a good substitute for wheat flour. As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Wheat flour is the most widely used flour for making cookies. However, flours from other tuber crops such as cassava have also found application in the cookies industry. These non-conventional flours have been used either singly or in combination with wheat flour as composites in making bread (Eriksson, 2013; Eriksson et al., 2014) and cookies (Akubor and Ukwuru, 2003; Oluwole and Karim, 2005; Akingbala et al., 2011; Oluwamukomi et al., 2011; Osundahunsi et al., 2012; Thomas, 2012; Obadina et al., 2014; Oyeyinka et al., 2014). The use of composite flours in cookies production has several implications. It may result in the reduction of importation cost for wheat flours to developing nations, promote the use of lesser known or neglected food crops and may facilitate the delivery of important micronutrients such as vitamin A to the desired population.
Micronutrient deficiency such as Vitamin A deficiency is one of the major challenge facing developing nations. Vitamin A deficiency can lead to night blindness and other acute diseases. In many parts of the world, several intervention programmes aimed at reducing the associated menace caused by Vitamin A deficiency and other micronutrients deficiencies have been suggested. One of such interventions is the use of staples and snacks such as cookies as a medium to reach the vulnerable groups, which in most cases are the pregnant women and infants.
Cassava (Manihot esculenta crantz) with improved nutritional value such as pro-vitamin A cassava is currently been used as an aid in reducing the prevalence of dietary Vitamin A deficiency due to its high content of β-carotene (Omodamiro et al., 2012). According to Aniedu and Omodamiro (2012), pro-vitamin A cassava have the potential of providing up to 25% of daily vitamin A requirements of children and women. These authors reported the use of 10% high quality cassava flour made from pro-vitamin A cassava root in the production of bread, chin-chin, cakes, strips and salad cream (Aniedu and Omodamiro, 2012).
However, the nutritional quality in terms of protein content of the wheat cookies was more than double those of the cassava flour cookies (Akingbala et al., 2011). The replacement of wheat flour with flours from other food crops in the production of cookies may influence the physicochemical properties of the cookies. For example, Oluwamukomi et al. (2011) found that cookies weight increased with increase in the levels of added cassava flour. The protein content of cookies made from 90% wheat flour and 10% cassava flour was not significantly different from that produced from 100% wheat flour (Oluwamukomi et al., 2011). The incorporation of different ingredient may influence functional and nutritional properties of the resulting products. In this study, the physicochemical properties of cookies produced from varying ratios of wheat and pro-vitamin A cassava flour was investigated.
Cassava flour production till date is carried out at local levels mostly by local women who do so to enhance household food security (Fapojuwe, 2008), and according to Nweke et al. (2002), production of cassava flour remains labour-intensive. Large scale production of cassava flour in Nigeria failed probably due to the limited information on processing variables that promote detoxification in cassava, and fermentation to produce unique flavor characteristics associated with cassava flour (Achinewu and Owuamanam, 2001; Nweke et al., 2002). Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Mineral Composition and Sensory Acceptability of Cookies Produced from Cassava Pro Vitamin A Wheat Flour Blend.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation reveals that it is difficult to understand how cassava and cassava products such as cassava flour can be promoted without giving proper consideration to the fact that it contains cyanogens (linamarin) that liberates poisonous cyanide in the body. Consumption of cassava and its products containing amounts of cyanide can cause acute intoxication, with symptoms of dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, stomach pains, diarrhea and sometimes death (Oluwole et al., 2003). Since lethal dose is proportional to body weight, children tend to be more susceptible to outright poisoning than adults. In regions where there is iodine deficiency, which causes goiter and cretinism, cyanide intake from cassava exacerbates these conditions (Delange et al., 1994).
In west Africa particularly Nigeria, there is a disease called tropical ataxic neuropathy (TAN), which generally occurs in older people who have consumed a monotonous cassava diet over years. TAN is progressive and causes unsteady walking, produces loss of sensation in hands, loss of vision, deafness and weakness (Dulcer et al., 2008). Until recently, long term cyanogenic intake was linked with the occurrence of TAN but recent work has shown that the situation may be more complex. Also, when cassava and its products are eaten, most of the ingested cyanide is converted into thiocyanate, a reaction catalyzed by the enzyme rhodanese, which uses up part of the pool of S-containing essential amino acids, methionine and cystein (Cardoso et al., 2004). These amino acids are essential in the diet because they can only be obtained from the food consumed. A shortfall of this S-containing amino acid would limit protein synthesis and could cause stunting in growing children, as was found in a study of children in DRC (Dulcer et al ., 2008).
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to investigate the Mineral Composition and Sensory Acceptability of Cookies Produced from Cassava Pro Vitamin A Wheat Flour Blend. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To investigate the physicochemical properties of cookies produced from varying ratios of wheat and pro-vitamin A cassava flour.
- To determine the Mineral Composition of cookies produced from cassava pro vitamin A wheat flour blend
- To investigate how different fermentation times influence the quality characteristics of cassava flour.
- To determine the sensory acceptability attributes of cookies products.
1.5 Significance / Justification of Study
There is need to optimize the local cassava flour processing methods as well as its industrialization especially by reducing the fermentation time and achieving the elimination of cyanide while maintaining cassava flour quality.
This present study considered the variability in the environment and fermentation conditions (temperature, relative humidity and duration of fermentation) during fermentation of cassava mash as they affect quality characteristics of cassava flour and reduction of cyanide.
This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.6 Scope of Study
The study focuses on the Mineral Composition and Sensory Acceptability of Cookies Produced from Cassava Pro Vitamin A Wheat Flour Blend.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
