Studies on the Nutritional quality, anti-nutritional factors, amino acid profile and functional properties of co-fermented wheat/cowpea

ABSTRACT

Nigeria was ranked 14th in global assessment of under-five mortality rate due to infants poor nutrition. (The Punch 2011) The Wheat, genus Triticum, tribe,Triticeae family, is limiting in lysine but has adequate amount of sulphur-containing amino acids (Adeyeye & Aye 2005).The cultivation of Triticum durum yields well in Nigeria. It is mainly consumed by adults who eatit in bread and other pastries (The Compass 2011).There have been cases of hypersensitive response to wheat gluten causing celiac disease which in children, prompts symptoms like bloating, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation (Nagano et al., 2003). During fermentation some microorganic enzymes hydrolyze and degrade wheat gluten by almost 80% making it hypoallergenic thus preventing the celiac disease (2007 www; mhtml fermented wheat protein and Gluten intolerance/Love to know Assessed on 6/10/2011). Cowpea (Vignaunguiculata(L) Walp.):the black-eyed variety called drum is widely cultivated in Nigeria. It is limiting in methionine. The dry beans is cooked without prior fermentation or dehullingand because the whole beans are unsuitable for infants, the broth or soup of the cooked beans may contain high levels of tannins and phytates extracted from the seed coats of colored beans during cooking thisis served the infants resulting in poor protein digestibility, diarrhea, as the liquid portion (Lyimo et al., 1992). Phytates and tannin are responsible for the low availability of calcium, zinc, iron magnesium and poor protein digestibility from cereals and some leguminous foods.