Effect of Germination on Cooking, Nutrient Composition and Organoleptic Qualities of African Yam Bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa).

Abstract

The study was carried out to determine the effect of germination on the nutritional and sensory qualities of African yam bean (AYB). The AYB seeds were germinated at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hrs. The ungerminated sample was used as control. Germinated and ungerminated samples were cooked separately and each sample was divided into three portions. Two third of each sample was served for sensory evaluation while one third of each sample was ground into paste and used for chemical analysis. Sensory evaluation was conducted using 40-man panelist. The result showed that AYB germinated for 96 hours (GN) had the shortest cooking time (115 minutes) and gave the best nutrient composition. Results for sensory evaluation showed that sample GN had the least acceptability in terms of colour, taste and flavor compared to other samples (P<0.05). Germination can be used to improve nutrient composition and reduce cooking time and beany flavor of  the cooked AYB seeds.

Key words: African yam bean, germination, cooking, organoleptic, nutrient.