Nutritional value and sensory properties of an extruded composite iron-rich beanbased snack targeting school children

Malnutrition is still a major challenge affecting a large group of the population in the world, and the problem has also been reported among school children. The major cause is insufficient nutrient intake and absorption from diet. The objective of the study therefore was to develop a composite puffed iron-rich bean-based snack for school-age children with acceptable, nutritive and highly palatable food properties. Extruded formulations with varied ingredient proportions were developed using Roba1 bean, maize, orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) and amaranth flours. The nutrient composition and sensory characteristics were determined. In order to obtain a nutritionally adequate and sensory desirable snack, the optimal snack formulation was determined by numerical optimization. The nutrient composition, taste and flavor characteristics varied significantly (p < 0.05) among formulations. An optimal formulation had protein, iron, dietary fibre and zinc content of 22.7g, 6.1 mg, 13.8 g and 3.4 mg per 100 g, with protein digestibility of 72.6 %. Organoleptic evaluation revealed that the formulations were moderately to highly acceptable by their appearance, taste, flavor, texture and overall acceptability with average scores of 6.000. Results showed that the developed formulations were adequate to meet at least 23 % of the protein, 21 % iron, and 15 % zinc recommended daily allowances for children aged 4 to 12 years. The study established that more nutritious extruded snacks can be developed based on dry beans as major ingredients, and the formulations contribute significantly to the recommended daily intake for school-age children. The optimal extruded bean-based snack can therefore be recommended for commercial production by industrialists.