Nutritional Characteristics and Organoleptic Properties of Cassava Flour (Lafun)Enriched With Sesame Seed Flour

Lafun is one of the major food products of fermented cassava that is regularly consumed in many parts of West Africa. It has low nutrients in terms of protein, vitamins and mineral content. The limitations of cassava flour (lafun) as other cassava products include low protein content, low minerals, and vitamins and the presence of cyanide toxicity. In previous studies, enriching flours with sesame seed flour significantly improves the proximate, micronutrient composition and functional properties of the flours. The aim of this study is to assess the nutritional characteristics and organoleptic properties of cassava flour (lafun) enriched with sesame seed flour. Enriched lafun flour samples were prepared by thoroughly mixing the lafun and sesame seed flour in ratios 95:5, 90:10, 85:15 and 80:20 respectively. The samples underwent chemical and sensory evaluations using standard methods of AOAC. Analysis of variance was performed to calculate the significant difference between means, and multiple range test (Tukeys Least Significant Difference) was conducted on the results obtained. Level of significance was set at p<0.05. The results showed that the enrichment significantly increased the protein content, ranging from 5.2% to 7.60%, compared to the control sample with 1.160%.The hydrocyanic acid content was reduced from 0.58 mg/100g in the control lafun to a range of 0.082 mg/100g to 0.058 mg/100g in the enriched samples. Tannin content varied significantly among the samples, with sample 95:5having a lower value than other samples. Moreover, sample 95:5 had the lowest mean values for phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and magnesium, while sample 80:20 had the highest mean values for these minerals. Sample 95:5 generally showed higher values for phenolic content and antioxidant activity, while Sample 80:20 consistently had the lowest mean values for phenolic content, flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity. Sensory evaluation revealed that the sample enriched with 20 g of sesame seed flour had a lower appearance score. Overall, the control sample was rated as the best in terms of overall acceptability, followed closely by the sample enriched with 5 g of sesame seed flour. Therefore, the optimal ratio of lafun to sesame seed flour for the best chemical and sensory properties was determined to be 95 g of lafun flour with 5 g of sesame seed flour. Based on the findings of this study, incorporating sesame seed flour into lafun resulted in improved quality parameters, particularly in terms of nutritional and functional properties. Samples 95:5 and 90:10 exhibited desirable properties, suggesting their suitability for consumption .It has the potential to enhance protein nutrition and help mitigate the risks of Protein Energy Malnutrition in populations with limited access to animal protein sources.