PRODUCTION AND EVALUATION OF WEANING FOOD FROM BLEND OF MALTED MAIZE(Zea mays), UNRIPE
PLANTAIN (Musa paradisaca) AND CRAYFISH (Astlaciden leptodactylus)
ABSTRACT
This research work is on the production and evaluation of weaning food from the blend of malted maize, unripe plantain and crayfish, by determining the proximate composition and sensory evaluation of the product. The maize was soaked, washed and steeped. It was malted, dried, de-germed and wet milled, decanted, slum, dried, re-milled, sieved and a fine flour was obtained. The plantain was peeled, blanched, dried, milled, sieved and a fine flour was obtained. The crayfish was washed, dried, milled, and sieved and a fine Hour was obtained. The six samples were then formulated from the processed flours, to obtain sample A (mmf:70:pf:20:cf:10),B(mmf:60:pf:30:cf:l0),C(mmf:50: pf:40: cf:10),D(mmf:40:pf:50:cf:10),E(mmf:30:pf:60:cf:10),F(mmf:20:pf:70:cf:l0). The samples were evaluated for their protein, ash, moisture, crude fibre, fat, and carbohydrate, and sensory evaluation. The protein content ranged from 16.45/100g – 18.75/1 00g, the. ash content ranged from 4.49 - 6.63, the moisture content ranged from 6.96 - 8.84, the carbohydrate ranged from 45.15 - 54.18, the fat content ranged from 0.96 - 1.69 and the fibre ranged from 2.95 - 4.12. With the result gotten from the sensory evaluation, it was observed that sample A was most acceptable by the panelist and sample A and B had the best result in protein. In conclusion from the result of the study weaning food can be formulated from malted maize, unripe plantain and crayfish for infant. This work is recommended for further analysis on chemical evaluation and functional properties of the various formulated weaning food and the product is recommended for infant from age of 6 months and above.  
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION                            
1.1    Background of the study                 
1.2    Statement of problem                   
1.3    Significance of the study                     
1.4    Aims and Objective                          
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1    Basic Definition
2.2    Background
2.3    Botanical Name of Corn
2.4    Original of Corn
2.5    Origin of Plantain
2.6    Origin of Crayfish
2.7    The Taxonomy of Crayfish Are Shown In Table 7
2.8    Geographical Distribution of Crayfish
2.9    Nutritional Fact of Crayfish
CHAPTER THREE
3.0         MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.2    Methods
3.3    Laboratory Analysis (Proximate Analysis)
3.4    Sensory Evaluation
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0    RESULT AND DISCUSION
4.1    Results
4.2    DISCUSSION
CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1    Conclusion
5.2    Recommendation
REFERENCE
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1:  The classification of Corn is as follow:
Table 2:      Top Five Maize Production
Table 3:      The nutritional composition of Maize
Table 4:      botanical name of Plantain
Table 5:     The World Most Plantain Producer and Exporting Countries
Table 6:      The nutritional fact of plantain
 Table 7:  Taxonomy of Crayfish
Table 8:     The Most Crayfish Producing Countries
Table 9:     Nutritional Compositions Of Crayfish
Table 10:    Result On Proximate Analysis
LIST OF FIGURES
Fig. 1:      Flow Chart for the Preparation of Malted Maize Flour
Fig. 2:      Flow Chart for processing of plantain flour
Fig. 3:      Flow Chart for Processing of Crayfish Flours.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0    INTRODUCTION
Weaning food is s food given to a child from six months of age to ceas the child from depending on the mother for nourishing (FAO 2004). The weaning period is a crucial period in an infants life.
At the age of six months and above most infant begin to eat supplement semisolid food. At this stage homogenized infant food play a major role in their nutrition (Martinez et al; 2004).
Weaning food for a child in developing countries like Nigeria, where weaning foods are relatively expensive as out of reach of a majority of the people and may result in malnutrition and pose a risk to life of a child, particularly if the parent are low income earners, most weaning foods commonly sold in Nigeria are composed mainly of cereals grains which contribute about 42% of the total daily protein (Keshiro et al., 1003)
The maize (corn) based products are usually in form of porridges such as pap (OGI) wet sieving and steeping have considering effects on the protein losses in pap resulting in pap being a poor weaning food for infants (Banigo, 1992).
This loss of an appreciable proportion of original nutrient content of pap during the production has led to the development of poor health nutrition of the infant.
Thus the need to provide a low cost nutritious weaning supplement for infant cannot be over emphasized. (Baker 2004) argues that malnutrition during infancy permanently changes their body structure, physiology and metabolism. Leading to Coronary heart disease and stroke later in life.
There is therefore the need to explore the nutritional potential of affordable alternative carbohydrate and protein based. Food such as malted maize (Zea mays) unripe plantain (Muse paradisiacal) and crayfish (Astacidae leptodactylus). (Agbed 2004).
How infant are fed appears to influence their long-term development and health (Baker 1994). Thus highlighting the importance of improving infants food.
1.1    STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The period of weaning from the breast is a critical stage which often results in malnutrition and disease if the child does not have a diet that is adequate in quantity and quality hygienically prepared and culturally, socially and economically acceptable. There is therefore the need to explore the nutritional potential of affordable and acceptable carbohydrate and protein-based. Food for infants of parents of low income earners.
1.2    AIM
This project is aimed at evaluating the warning food produced from the blend of malted maize, unripe plantain and crayfish by determining the proximate composition and the sensory evaluation of the product.
The objective of this work is:    
(i)    To process malted maize into flour
(ii)    To process unripe plantain into flour
(iii)    To compound the flour mixture with the blended crayfish.
(iv)    To evaluate the proximate composition and carry out sensory evaluation on the various blend.