Farinde Elizabeth Oluremi^1,, Dauda Taofik Oyedele²

Tuwo, a non-fermented maize dumpling is a popular diet native to northerners of Nigeria. Tuwo is nutritionally and texturally poor. The study aims at improving nutrients and functionalities of tuwo. Blends of Quality protein maize (QPM) and pro-vitamin A maize (flour and starch) and pro-vitamin A cassava starch were processed into improved tuwo. The resultant blends of various combination ratios were evaluated for lysine and carotene content as well as functional properties. The tuwo produced from the blends were subjected to sensory evaluation. General linear model analysis returned significantly different means for bulk density, water absorption capacity, swelling capacity, gelation capacity, gelation temperature, lysine and carotene. The F_{(8, :0.05)} = 1317.4, 264.2, 23.99, 337.5, 21815.8, 2348.9 and 445.41, obtained respectively for bulk density, water absorption capacity, swelling capacity, gelation capacity, gelation temperature, lysine and carotene were significant (P < 0.05). Sample T_A (75% Yellow QPM flour + 25% Yellow QPM starch) and sample T_P (75% Vitamin A maize flour + 25% Yellow cassava starch) were highest in lysine and carotene respectively. Samples T_H (75% Yellow quality protein maize +25% yellow cassava starch) and sample T_F (75% white quality protein maize +25% yellow cassava starch) were rated high in the sensory attributes evaluated. Modification of maize tuwo with 25% pro-vitamin A cassava starch improved the nutrients and functionalities of tuwo. Nutritious, functionally stable and acceptable tuwo meal could be produced from quality protein maize and yellow cassava. Further improvement on the functional properties of the tuwo to correlate with the nutrients contents is recommended.

Tuwo, lysine, carotene, acceptability, median values, general linear model