EFFECT OF LEMON AND TAMARIND ON THE COOKING TIME, PHYSICO-CHEMICAL AND FUNCTIONAL CHANGES DURING PRODUCTION OF PRECOOKED MACABO (XANTHOSOMA SAGITTIFOLIUM) FLOURS

This study was carried out to produce Macabo flour as an ingredient for the preparation of a common food paste locally called Kouakoukou. The tubers were precooked using four different techniques [whole steamed tubers (WST), steamed slices (SS), whole boiled tubers in tamarind (WBTT) and lemon (WBTL)] followed by air drying and milling through a 500µm sieve mesh. Flours so produced were evaluated for their moisture, proteins, carbohydrates, crude fat, ash, some minerals, oxalate, soluble proteins, and soluble sugars content. The textural properties (breakdown, hardness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness and gumminess) of the different pastes so produced were analysed using a Lloyd instrument set to produce double compression load of 50N. Results revealed that the chemical characteristics of the flours varied with the cooking method.