Characterisation of cow milk yoghurt enriched with malted Pennisetum glaucum, Telfairia occidentalis and Glycine max for targeted improvement of iron content

• Readily available plant sources of Iron were explored for enrichment of cow milk yoghurt. • The nutritional profile of the resultant products were assessed. • Enrichment sources showed potential for improving the iron level of yoghurt. Anaemia, caused by a reduction in red blood cell formation or a lack of iron in the body reserve is prevalently a nutritional disease in the world. Yoghurt, traditionally produced with cow milk has relatively low iron content. This study centered on the enrichment of cow milk yoghurt with malted pearl millet, fluted pumpkin leaves and soybeans. Samples were prepared in proportions of cow milk to enrichment sources. The proximate, mineral, physicochemical, microbial and sensory characteristics of the products were evaluated and the data obtained were statistically analyzed. The moisture, protein, fat, ash and carbohydrate contents ranged from 86.56 to 80.74 %, 3.39 to 8.79 %, 2.20 to 3.60 %, 0.14 to 0.99 % and 2.60 to 10.88 % respectively. The iron content ranged from 1.15 to 7.79 ppm. The total titratable acidity, total solid, Solid-Not-Fat and pH ranged from 0.98 to 1.45 %, 13.43 to 19.25 %, 10.38 to 15.65 % and 4.25 to 4.41 respectively. The sample that had the highest Lactobacillus count was soybean enriched yoghurt (3.56 × 10 3 CFU/ml). The fluted pumpkin enriched yoghurt sample was the most preferred by the sensory panelists. However, soybeans enriched yoghurt had the best nutritional profile. Yoghurt enriched with plant-based iron sources has potential benefits in nutritional quality improvement for human health.