Quality evaluation of <I>chinchin</I> produced from composite flours of wheat and germinated finger millet flour

Composite flour was produced from germinated finger millet and wheat and its potentials in producing nutritious chinchin, a traditional Nigerian snack was investigated. Finger millet was sorted, germinated, dried and milled into flour. Simplex Lattice Designs was used in generating different formulations (100:0, 88:12, 75:25 and 50:50) of wheat and germinated finger millet, respectively, and used to produce chinchin. The composite flour was analyzed for proximate, minerals, antinutritional and functional properties while the chinchin samples were subjected to sensory evaluation. The values obtained for moisture, protein, fat, crude fibre, ash and carbohydrate were in the ranges of 10.47 to 10.71%, 8.74 to 9.64%, 1.79 to 1.95%, 1.38 to 1.55%, 2.31 to 2.57, 73.58 to 75.31%, respectively. The loose and packed bulk density ranged from 0.61 to 0.62 g/cm3 and 0.005 to 0.013 g/cm3. The calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus content of flour ranged from 0.1150 to 0.1300 mg/l, 12.033 to 13.633 mg/l, 0.158 to 0.187 mg/l, 0.389 to 0.428 mg/l and 0.271 to 0.296 mg/l, respectively. The anti-nutritional properties reduced with processing. This study has shown the potentials of composite flour from wheat and germinated finger millet in production of nutritious chinchin. Keyword: Finger millet, wheat flour, chinchin, snacks, composite flour