Nutritional Quality and In vitro Protein Digestibility of Complementary Foods Formulated from Maize, Cowpea and Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato Flours: A Preliminary Study

Complementary foods were formulated from blends of maize, cowpea and orange fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP). Five different flour with the substitution at 5-30%, OFSP 5-20% while 100% maize was used as control. The heated extruded using a cold extruder. samples thereafter analyzed for their proximate, mineral, vitamin compositions, % In vitro Protein Digestibility. moisture, ash, fat, crude protein, fibre, carbohydrate energy complementary fruits varied 8.11-11.39%, 2.27-3.66%, 2.20-3.10%, 8.87-13.07%, 2.39-4.07%, 68.90-73.43% 357.08-367.68 Kcal/100g, respectively. All within standard RDA infants young children, except fat which less than 10% recommendation. mineral contents food ranged 44.20 – 80.67mg/100g calcium, 8.86 24.50 mg/100g iron, 127.23- 167.72 mg/100 g magnesium, 1.53 -3.17 zinc, 31.75 63.75 phosphorus 26.86 39.98 sodium. There significantly increase (p < 0.05) in these minerals flours increased. β -carotene C content 10.90 31.00 1.80 12.01 g, Increase led to an values. Vitamin also (P<0.05) proportion flours. protein digestibility between 30.29 MCOA (100% food) 48.77% sample MCOF (50% maize: 30% cowpea: 20% OFSP). increased substitution. Most nutrients highest containing OFSP, making suitable use foods.