Optimization of Nixtamal Maize Flour Fortified with Sweet Potato and Egg for <i>Masa</i> Production

<i>Masa</i> is a Spanish word that connotes all kinds of dough. It is usually brown in colour and round in shape with smooth surfaces. It is also known as waina– a cereal-based yeast fermented recipe consumed in Nigeria and other West African countries. The focus of the research is to formulate and optimize nixtamal maize flour fortified with sweet potato and egg for instant <i>masa</i> production. The maize flour, sweet potato flour and egg flour was used as the mixture components at varying levels. Since <i>masa</i> as a staple food is majorly consumed by over 80% of Northern Nigeria and produced from common cereal such as maize <i>(Zee mays),</i> rice <i>(</i><i>Oriza</i><i> sativa)</i>, sorghum <i>(sorghum </i><i>vulgare</i><i>) </i>or millet <i>(</i><i>Pennisetum</i><i> </i><i>typhoideum</i><i>).</i> There is need for utilization of other available food component to enhance its nutritional content. D-optimal mixture experimental design was used with formulation constraints at varying levels: Nixtamal maize flour (40% – 80%), sweet potato flour (10% – 50%) and egg flour (10% – 30%). The maize flour was subjected to nixtamalization process using lime to enhance the nutritional composition of the produced fortified <i>masa</i> flour. The evaluated properties of the flours showed that the mixture components (nixtamal maize, sweet potatoes and egg flour) were compatible blends for the production of <i>masa</i>. Obtained result showed that nixtamalization as a process had a significant effect on the quality of fortified <i>masa</i> flour. The proximate and functional properties showed that the linear mixture terms were significant at p< 0.05. The optimum condition for the production of best fortified <i>masa</i> was found to be 71.8% nixtamal maize flour, 14.5% egg flour and 13.72% sweet potatoes flour with a desirability index of 0.582. It was concluded that nixtamal maize <i>masa</i> flour fortified with sweet potatoes and egg as a recipe was accepted because of its enhanced nutritional quality therefore recommended for <i>masa</i> production.