Chemical and functional properties of nutrient-dense beverages developed from underutilised crops

Abstract

Beverages are typically seen as wholesome snacks that can be included in a daily diet. Despite being part of the regular diet, the majority of these beverages are low in nutrients and high in calories. Worldwide, a variety of industrial processes, raw ingredients and microorganisms are used to manufacture fermented food. Many indigenous or traditional fermented foods and beverages are still prepared today as a form of domestic art. They are created in small businesses, communities and homes. Among the fermented foods that are important to people's diets worldwide are beverages that might have a non-dairy origin. In this study, Moringa oleifera Leaf Powder (MoLP) was used to fortify two beverages, including Amasi (Bambara groundnut) and Mageu (sorghum), at 0% (control), 1% and 5%. After fortifying the fermented and unfermented variations, the beverages' biochemical, chemical and functional properties were analysed. The effects of MoLP (1% and 5%) on the stress, viscosity and torque characteristics of Amasi were significant (p ?0.05). For all of the samples, Amasi and Mageu's values for protein, ash and moisture increased significantly (p ?0.05) due to the inclusion of MoLP. These findings indicate that MoLP-fortified beverages can act as a source of nutrients to address micronutrient deficiencies in children and adults.