CHANGES IN PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF INSTANT KUNUN ZAKI FLOURS PRODUCED FROM MILLET

ABSTRACT
In this study, instant kunun zaki powders were produced from millet-cowpea malt and
millet- soybean malt. The instant powders were packaged in polypropylene plastics and
stored for 3 months. During this period, studies of the changes in physiochemical and
functional properties of the packaged flour were carried out every 30 days for 3 months.
Production of instant powders was by blending millet with malt of cowpea for millet cowpea
malt (MCm) and millet with malt of soybean for millet-soybean malt (MSm) each in the ratio
of 70:30 w/w. Ginger was added to each blend in the ratio 15:1 w/w. The blends were
incubated at 28+30C for 15 minutes and instantized by steam-heating for 10 minutes
followed by oven drying at 500C to a moisture content of 6.23% for MCm and 6.34% for
MSm.

The flour blends were then packaged in polypropylene plastic (12x18cm) and stored
for three months at 28+30C. During this storage period, studies of the changes in
physiochemical properties of the packaged flour were determined every 30 days. The results
showed that diastatic activities of cowpea and soybean increased with malting, with that of
cowpea being higher (63.330L) than that of soybean (30.000L). Protein and sugar contents
increased after malting, whereas fat and TBA content decreased with malting. During
storage however, there was a general increase in moisture content, sugar, fat, TBA, tannin
and trypsin inhibitor in all the samples. Protein content decreased with storage. Water
absorption capacity, bulk density, solubility, dispersibility and viscosity decreased with
storage time. The particle sizes of the flours increased with storage.