Journal of Food Processing & Technology

Effect of domestic cooking on carotenoids content and proximate composition of three Cameroonian foods prepared with crude palm oil: Maize (Zea mais) cake, cassava (Manihot esculenta) cake and black eye peas (Vigna ungui

4^th International Conference and Exhibition on Food Processing & Technology

August 10-12, 2015 London, UK

Dongho Dongmo Fabrice Fabien1, Ngono Ngane Annie1, Demasse Mawamba Adélaide1, Schweigert Florian2 and Gouado Inocent1

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: J Food Process Technol

Abstract:

Crude Palm Oil (CPO), richest known food in provitamin A, is very important to fight against Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD). In
Cameroon, it is used to cook many dishes among which maize, cassava and black-eyed peas cakes which are widely consumed.
The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of domestic cooking on carotenoids content and proximate composition of these
foods. The foods were cooked according to the information collected near the housewives. For maize cake, CPO, water, and salt
were added to flour. The whole was mixed until obtaining a homogenous paste. Concerning cassava cake, the tubers (beforehand
soaked during the days) were crushed. The paste obtained was mixed with CPO, water and salt. As for the black-eyed peas cake, the
seeds (previously soaked for 1 h) were crushed. The paste obtained was mixed with CPO, water and salt. For each dish, portions of
300 g of paste were wrapped in banana leaves and steamed on gas stoves for 2 h. Carotenoids content and proximate composition
were evaluated before and after cooking. After cooking, organoleptic qualities were evaluated. We found that for the three foods,
carotenoids content significantly decreased during cooking and there was no significant difference between foods (between 21.50
and 26.20%). Contrary to carotenoids, proximate composition was not significant varied during cooking and there was no significant
difference between foods. Concerning organoleptic qualities, all the foods were founded cooked thoroughly and their taste was well
appreciated. During the cooking of foods with CPO, carotenoids are really affected compared to proximate composition. So, in order
to optimize the potential of CPO for the fight against VAD, housewives should develop the strategies to reduce maximally carotenoids
losses during cooking of foods while giving them appreciable organoleptic qualities.