ASSESSMENT ON NUTRITIONAL AND PHYTOCHEMICAL FACTORS OF EXTRUDED PRODUCT BLENDS FROM CASSAVA, SWEET POTATO, AND PLANTAIN FORTIFIED WITH MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAVES

Orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) and yellow root cassava (YRC) were harvested from National Root CropResearch Institute Umudike, while moringa leaves was sourced from Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture,Umudike (MOUAU) and plantain from Umuahia market. They were processed into flour and used to form ablend, and processed into extruded baked snacks fortified with Moringa oleifera leaves powder at constant ratio(5%). The vitamin C value for the snacks varied from 23.66μg/100g to 32.76μg/100g. Vitamin C contentincreased as the proportion of cassava increased from sample A (31.43μg/100g) to E (32.76μg/100g), whilesample H (95% OFSP with 5% Moringa oleifera leaves powder) had the least (0.13 – 93.75μg/100g). VitaminB , B B were less than 1%, and ranged from 0.45μg/100g (G) to 0.75μg/100g (E) for vitamin B , 0.07μg/100g (F) 1 2, 3 1to 0.34μg/100g (A) for vitamin B and B from 0.41μg/100g (A) to 0.64μg/100g (E). Vitamin A level increased 2 3with plantain ration which was observed in sample A (31.35μg/100g) and B (31.02μg/100g). It was observed thatcalcium, potassium and sodium levels increased with percentage of yellow root cassava. There was a decrease iniron content, which ranged from 0.43mg/100g for F, to 3.12mg/100g for G as the percentage of Moringa oleiferaleaves powder added was constant. Sodium content from the table increased with percentage of biofortifiedcassava (UMUCASS 45) ranging from 10.22mg/100g to 17.14mg/100g. No significant difference (P>0.05) wasobserved among samples C (13.06mg/100g), D (13.09mg/100g) and E (13.21mg/100g), A (12.05mg/100g) andB (12.20mg/100g).