ABSTRACT
The study
explored the potentials of substituting breadfruit into cassava to obtain gari analogue of which proximate and mineral compositions
were evaluated. A portion of matured but unripe breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) and mature cassava
tubers were co-fermented (100:0, 0:100, 80:20, 70:30, and 60: 40 Cassava to
Breadfruit) to obtain gari analogue.
The samples were evaluated for proximate and mineral analyses. Data obtained
were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed
that Co-fermentation of cassava and breadfruit produced gari and gari analogue
with slightly enhanced protein content. The protein content of the samples
ranged from 3.42% - 5.68% with 100% cassava gari
having the lowest protein content (3.42%) and 100% Breadfruit gari having highest protein content (
5.68%). Co-fermented products did not have enhanced mineral content than that
of whole breadfruit and cassava gari.
Zinc content of 100% cassava gari was
13.71, which were significantly higher than that of the co-processed gari. 100% Breadfruit gari and 60%C : 40%B had no zinc content at all. Calorific values
of the 100% cassava gari was
significantly higher ( p<0.05) calories ( 4442.85Kcal) than other gari samples with 100% Breadfruit gari having the lowest calories (
3652.44Kcal). This study established that 20% of breadfruit c-fermented with
cassava yields a novel food product that compares favorably with 100% cassava gari in terms of nutritional values thus,
confirming that processing of breadfruit into a locally familiar form analogues
to gari will increase its
utilization, especially in several food deficit countries where fermented
cassava products are already accepted as staple foods.
Keywords: Breadfruit, Cassava, fermentation, gari analogue, Proximate, Mineral and
calorific.
