Physicochemical characteristics of weaning food formulated from different blends of cereal and soybean

The physicochemical characteristics of porridges of adult and infant weaning food prepared from fermented blends of cereals and soybean are reported in this study. The pH of the formulated flour blends was less than 5.0 within 12 h of fermentation with F15B and F410B, attaining a pH of 3.4. Titratable acidity, which was not detected in unfermented samples, increased as the fermentation progressed. An increase in the gross energy content was noted with F25B, yielding a value of 439.0 kcal/100 g. All the fermented flour blends reconstituted well in boiling water and the water-holding capacity also increased. There was a slight difference in the bulk densities of the loose and packed flour. The index of gelatinization of unfermented formulated flour ranged from 82 (B.U.) in F15A to 334 (B.U.) in F310A. However, there was an increase in the values of the index of gelatinization of the blends at the end of the fermentation. All the blends had relatively low viscosities except F310B. Based on the parameters considered in this study, F15B is recommended as a potential infant and adult food.