Evaluation of the Functional, Proximate and Sensory Properties of Cowpea/Soybean Fortified Dabuwa (A Nigerian Dried Stiff Porridge) Produced from Different Cereals

Dabuwa is a dried stiff porridge made from fonio and maize in the ratio of 1:3, beef fat and spiced with fresh onion and caraway (black) seeds. It is a popular food indigenous to the Shuwa Arab nomads of North-eastern Nigeria. An attempt was made to modify dabuwa not only from maize but also from millet and rice. The cereal flours were supplemented with legume flours, the beef fat content was reduced, fresh onion and caraway seeds were replaced with a dried spice-mix of onion, ginger and cardamom. A 3×2×2×2 full factorial design was scaled down to a fractional factorial design of 3×2×2 which generated 12 runs. Supplementation (cowpea and soybean) was done at a constant level of 30%. Fonio was incorporated at either 12.5% (F1) or 22.5% (F2). Each formulation had the other cereal (maize, millet or rice) added at 57.5% (Ma1, Mi1, R1) or 47.5% (Ma2, Mi2, R2); while traditional dabuwa comprising of 25% fonio and 75% maize served as the Control. The blends and dabuwa were evaluated for functional and sensory properties, and proximate composition. Results indicated a general increase on water absorption capacity (216.76% to 270.34% of the blends) unlike oil absorption capacity (0.97ml/g to 1.09ml/g), and an enhanced bulk densities (0.74-0.86g/ml). Dabuwa samples enriched with soybean were shown to be denser in nutrients than those supplemented with cowpea, though no particular trend was observed. Moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fiber, fat, carbohydrate (by difference) and calorific contents of the blends varied significantly (p≤0.05) from 7.38 to 12.18%, 1.80 to 2.96%, 4.33 to 16. 29%, 1.62 to 6.59%, 2.45 to 9.57%, 53.66 to 82.90%, and 337.12-393.37kcal/100g respectively. Proximate composition of modified dabuwa varied thus:4.86-10.85%, 0.92-2.48%, 10.11-16.38%, 0.96-4.65%, 2.02-10.60%, 58.55-86.54%, and 351.03-421.17kcal/100g for moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fiber, fat, carbohydrate contents and calorific value respectively. Sensory scores revealed that rice- and maize-containing dabuwa were liked moderately, but millet containing dabuwa were neither liked nor disliked by the panelists. It was concluded that dabuwa could be prepared not only from maize, but also from rice or millet with legume fortification for enhanced nutrient density without affecting negatively the well known traditional sensory properties of the dabuwa.. Therefore, production and consumption of dabuwa should be re-popularized and its consumption patronized so as to provide macro and micro nutrients to the consumers and avoid the disappearance of a worthy age-old food product.