EVALUATION OF FOOD POTENTIALS OF TIGERNUT TUBERS (CYPERUS ESCULENTUS) AND ITS PRODUCTS (MILK, COFFEE AND WINE)

ABSTRACT

The food potentials of tigernut tubers (Cyperus esculentus) locally know as “aki awusa”  in

Igbo, ”aya” in Hausa and “ofio” in Yoruba were evaluated. The proximate composition  of

100g of raw and processed tigernuts showed that moisture content of tigernuts ranged from

4.19 – 51.93 %, crude protein 2.61 – 10.12 %, ash 0.70 – 1.77 %, crude fibre 7.48 – 13.97 %, crude fat 10.79 – 32.06 %, and carbohydrate 22.73 – 56.85 %. Energy values  ranged from

232.31- 487.15 Kcal. Tigernuts  contain significant  amounts of Mg (95.32 -140.96 mg),  K (106.44 – 427.92 mg), P (121.78 – 195.95 mg), Fe (1.60 – 4.03 mg), Cu (0.08 – 0.99 mg), Zn (0.32 – 2.46mg), vitamin C (30.90 – 84.66 mg), vitamin E (2.22 – 5.26 mg),  moderate Ca (24.42 – 62.29 mg) and low Na (15.77 – 18.27 mg) content. Processing of tigernuts generally increased carbohydrate  but decreased magnesium  and sodium values.  Malting significantly increased calcium content (85 %) and drying and roasting increased Zn and Cu by 100 %. Physico-chemical and functional properties  showed that tigernuts and its products are acidic while viscosity of the products per 100 ml was between 88 – 90 cP, specific gravity 1.01 –

1.07,  reducing  sugar  0.30  – 0.44  g , foaming  capacity  18 %. Foaming  stability  5.35  %, emulsion capacity 21.88 %, and emulsion stability 49.38 %. Alcohol content of tigernut wine was between  3.17 – 7.13 %. Fresh tigernuts  were utilized in the  development  of tigernut products (milk, coffee and wine) using household methods such as soaking, drying, roasting, malting,  fermentation  and  freezing.     Organoleptic  and  acceptability  assessment  of  the developed  tigernut  products  showed  that  there  was  no  significant  difference  (P  >  0.05) between  tiegrnut  products  and  their  controls  in  most  of  the  parameters  tested.  All  then products were highly acceptable. Tigernuts products (milk extract and wine) evaluation per 100 ml showed high ascorbic acid (6.18 – 7.8 mg), thiamin (0.80 – 1.25 mg), riboflavin (0.35 – 0.59 mg), vitamin E (0.22 – 0.75 mg) and cyanocobalamin (0.03 – 0.05 ug) content. The result of the microbial count of tigernut products (milk and wine) showed values between 3.0 x 102 – 8.0 x 102 cfu / ml and keeping quality ranged from 6 hours to 10 months.

1. Introduction

1.1 Background study

Tigernut  (Cyperus esculentum)  is a perennial  grass-like  plant with spheroid  tubers, pale yellow cream kernel surrounded by a fibrous sheath. It is also known as yellow nut sedge, earth  or  ground  almonds,  “souchet”  in  French,  “ermandeln”  in  German  and “chufa”  in Spanish (TTSL, 2005). Grossman and Thomas (1998) reported that chufa came to Spain from Africa. Tigernut is found wild and cultivated in Africa, South  America, Europe and Asia. Tigernuts grow in the wild, along rivers and are cultivated on a small scale by rural farmers mostly in the northern states of Nigeria. It is locally called “aya” in Hausa; “aki awusa” in Igbo; “ofio” in Yoruba and “isipaccara” in Effik. Tigernuts are edible, sweet, nutty, flavoured tubers which contain protein, carbohydrate,  sugars, and lots of oil and fiber (FAO, 1988). Grossman and Thomas (1998) showed that tigernuts have been cultivated for food and drink for men and planted for hogs for many years in Spain and that the lovely milky elixir is served in health Spas, Pubs, and Restaurants as a refreshing beverage (competing successfully with other soft drinks). Unfortunately, despite these potentials in tigernuts it has been a neglected crop  in  Nigeria. This  probably  may  be  due  to  inadequate  knowledge  on  its  production, utilization and nutritional value.

Tigernut could provide a basis for rural industries in Africa. It is an important food crop for certain tribes in Africa, often collected and eaten raw, baked as a vegetable, roasted or dried and ground to flour. The ground flour is mixed with sorghum to make  porridge, ice- cream, sherbet or milky drink. It is mostly consumed raw as snack without knowledge of the food and nutritional quality (FAO, 1988). It has also been found to possess good therapeutic quality (Moore, 2004; Zimmerman, 1987; Farre, 2003; Bixquert, 2003; Valls, 2003). Moore stated that “the expansion of tigernut milky drinks will significantly help the research linking tigernut milk to healthier cholesterol levels and other non-dairy manufacturers. This could also gain a boost from an increased consumer interest in health foods”.

Variety of food products can be derived from tiger nut tubers though there is  little documentation  at  large.  Various  food  processing  techniques  can  be  applied  to  tiger  nut processing to modify its appearance, develop its natural flavour, stimulate the digestive juices, add  variety  to  the  menu,  make  it  easily  digestible  and  bio-available,  destroy  harmful microorganisms, improve its nutritional quality and prevent decomposition. This project work

intends to basically evaluate, promote production and utilization of tiger nuts using various processing techniques.

1.2 Statement of problems

Food  insecurity  continues  to threaten  large  proportions  of  households  in low  income countries. In view of the operational definition of household food security stated by ACC / SCN (1991), a household is food secure when it has access to the  food needed for a healthy life  for  all  its  members  (adequate  in  terms  of  quality,  quantity,  safety  and  culturally acceptable),  and when it is not at undue risk of losing such access.  Adequate  nutrition  is essential for individual development, activity, good health, fulfillment function and success in societies and nations (ACC / SCN, 1991). Some of the factors that may affect food security as well as nutrition are as follows:

•   Inadequate production and knowledge of the food use

•   Poor processing, preservation and storage techniques

•    Poor   infrastructure,   especially   poor   housing,   sanitation   and   storage   facilities, education, communications, and transporting systems.

•   Poverty

•   Extreme imbalances in food or population ratio

•   War / political or civil unrest

•   Rapid depletion of natural resources

•   Cultural attitudes toward certain foods

•   High external debt

•   Seasonal factors or climatic variations

•   Food prices

Tigernut has been for many years one of the underutilized  food crops in Nigeria. It  is mostly eaten raw as snack and un-identified  as a very important  food crop that has  great potential   in   managing,   preventing   and   eliminating   malnutrition   (macronutrient   and micronutrient   deficiencies)   or  food  insecurity  problems.  It  has   been  demonstrated   by nutritionist  that the major nutritional problems could be solved  through exploitation  of the nutrition and economic potentials of the local food  resources.  Tigernut is one of the under utilized  tubers  with  great  potentials  for  domestic  and  commercial  purposes.  There  is  no documentation  of  a  successful  product  made  from  tigernuts  in  the  Nigerian  market.  A successful product offers a benefit that is perceptible and valued by the consumer (NUTRA, 2005).

There is little documentation on the nutritional quality and versatility of tigernuts in food preparation despite its availability. However, tigernut is still one of the least popular tubers in Nigeria and hence the need for this research which intends to evaluate, promote production and utilization of tiger nuts using various processing techniques.

1.3 Objectives of study

The broad objective of this study is to evaluate the food potentials of tigernut tubers

(tigernuts) and its products.

Specific objectives are as follows: to

1) determine the proximate, mineral, vitamin, physico-chemical  and functional properties of tigernuts.

2) develop products from tiger nuts using traditional processing techniques such as  natural fermentation, malting, drying and roasting.

3)  assess  the  organoleptic  properties  and  general  acceptability  of  the  developed  tigernut products (milk, coffee and wine beverages).

4) determine some nutritional properties and microbial load of developed tigernut  products

(milk, coffee and wine beverages).

1.4 Significance of study

In recent years, the need to increase the production and utilization of locally available food resources has been highlighted at different national and international fora. Tigernuts, one of the under utilized food crops locally available in Nigeria could be demonstrated to aid in solving  major  nutritional  problems  through  exploitation  of  its  nutritional  and  economic potentials.

The results of this study will provide a baseline data on tigernut utilization. This will go  a  long  way  to  diversify  its  use  and  in  turn  lead  to  its  increased  production  both  at household and national levels ultimately to ensure food security. Furthermore, it is expected that through  the knowledge  of its composition,  tiger nut may be exploited  for use in the prevention and treatment of some non communicable diseases for example cancers, diabetes, heamorrhoids and cardiovascular diseases.

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