Nixtamalization and Fermentation Enhance the Nutritional and Sensory Attributes of Maize and Cassava-based Fufu

This study evaluated the effects of nixtamalization and fermentation on the functional, nutritional, and sensory properties of maize and cassava-based fufu flours. Nixtamalized maize and fermented cassava were processed into flours and formulated in various ratios (2:1) to produce four samples: nixtamalized maize + fermented cassava (NXF), nixtamalized maize + non-fermented cassava (NXNF), non-nixtamalized maize + fermented cassava (NNF), and non-nixtamalized maize + non-fermented cassava (NNNF). All analyses were carried out using standard methods. Functional property analysis revealed significant differences (p<0.05) among samples, with NXF exhibiting the highest water absorption capacity (2.21 g/g) and swelling index (2.77 mL/g), while NXNF showed the highest bulk density (0.68 g/mL). Proximate composition indicated significant enhancement in protein (21.67% in NXNF) and ash content (3.88% in NXNF) due to the treatments. The mineral analysis demonstrated higher calcium (284.86 mg/100 g) and potassium (384.81 mg/100 g) in NXNF, while NXF displayed lower antinutrient levels, including tannins (0.58 mg/100 g) and phytates (1.47 mg/100 g), signifying improved nutritional value. Vitamin analysis revealed a significant increase in thiamine (0.55 mg/100 g) and niacin (0.65 mg/100 g) in NXF. Sensory evaluation ranked NXNF as the most preferred sample with an overall acceptability score of 8.15. The results indicate that nixtamalization and fermentation significantly improve the functional, nutritional, and sensory properties of maize and cassava-based fufu flours. It is recommended that these treatments be adopted to enhance the quality of fufu products to address nutritional deficiencies in staple diets and promote consumer acceptance. Further studies should explore scaling these processing techniques for industrial applications and evaluating their economic feasibility.