Evaluation of Functional Properties of Melon/ Maize/OSU (P. Tuber-Regium) Mix for the Production of Melon Seed "Cake” Analogue

Abstract

Melon seed cake is traditional ceremonial diet served in some parts of Southern Nigeria. It is prepared by steaming 80:20 mixture of melon: Pleurotus tuberregium(Osu) flours. Pleurotus tuberregium(Osu) is relatively very expensive, and accounts for more than 60% of cost of production of the cake. In the effort to reduce the cost of production of melon cake, the feasibility of reducing quantity of the flour of Pleurotus tuberregium(Osu) used in the traditional melon cake production with maize flour was tested by examining the effect of inclusion of maize flour on the functional properties melon/osu flour mix. Functional properties of blends of melon seed, sclerotial of pleurotus tuberregium and maize flours were investigated. Melon seed flour were blended with the flours of Pelurotius tubergium and maize at the ratio of 80, 0, 20; 80,16,4%; and 80, 12, 8% respectively and flour blend containing 80% melon seed and 20% P. tuberregium was used as control. Bulk densities, water absorption, emulsion, swelling and oil absorption capacities as well as solubility, of the flour mixtures were evaluated using standard methods. Results showed that water absorption, oil absorption and swelling capacities of the blends, containing up to 8% maize in the melon/osu mixtures were found not to be significantly different from the control. However, the mixture containing up to 20% maize had significantly inferior water absorption, oil absorption, swelling capacities and solubility. Emulsion capacity of the control melon/osu (80/20) mix was significantly higher than all the mixtures (blends) containing maize. Inclusion of maize in the melon/osu mix resulted in significant increase in the bulk density of the mix. These results suggest that at high levels of maize inclusion beyond 8% in the melon cake analogue recipe, the quality of the final product may be impaired.