Chemical Composition, Microbiological and Sensory Qualities of Banana Based Complementary Diets Fortified with African Breadfruit Seed and Carrot Flours

About the age of six months, an infant requires more nutrients and energy than those provided by the breast milk, and complementary diets are therefore introduced to meet those needs. The objective of this study was therefore to develop and evaluate complementary diets from cooking banana, African breadfruit seeds and carrot flour blends. Ratios of cooking banana, African breadfruit seed and carrot flour blends in 90:0:10 as Diet 1, 85:5:10 as Diet 2, 80:10:10 as Diet 3, 75:15:10 as Diet 4 and 70:20:10 as Diet 5, were used for formulation of complementary diets. The flour blends for diet production showed bulk density and gelatinization temperature decreased from 0.98 to 0.65 g/ml and 85.67 to 78.10oC respectively, while swelling and water absorption capacity increased from 268.33 to 295.00% and 208.33 to 243.33% respectively, with increase in African breadfruit seed flour in the composite blends. Phytate (1.25 – 11.03 mg/100g) and trypsin inhibitor activities (1.05 – 1.17 TIU/100g) increased with increasing African breadfruit flour supplementations. Proximate composition of diets showed increased protein (2.16 – 18.47%), fat (1.81 – 2.23%), ash (2.42 – 2.96 %) and decreased carbohydrate (73.14 – 89.80%). Iron and calcium content of Diets increased from 14.11 – 19.23mg/100g and 28.24 – 43.23 mg/100g, while magnesium decreased from 6.24 – 8.25mg/100g respectively with increasing African breadfruit flour. Vitamin A and C decreased from 13.09 to 9.16 and 0.98 – 0.75mg/100g respectively. Microbial quality of all Diets developed were within the acceptable limit of 103 cfu/g for both total bacterial (TBC) and total fungal count (TFC). Diet 3 (80:10:10) was most accepted in sensory qualities. Complementary diets produced with 80% cooking banana, 10% African breadfruit seed and 10% carrot flour blends could help fill the gaps, when transitioning from breast milk to family diet, to provide the essential nutrients and energy required for infant’s activity, optimum growth and development.