EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PACKAGING MATERIALS ON MINERAL COMPOSITION OF LOCALLY PRODUCED OKPA FROM BAMBARA GROUNDNUT

Abstract

The effect of packaging materials on the sensory properties and mineral composition of locally produced okpa from bambara groundnut flour was investigated. Okpa mix was prepared using a traditional method and wrapped in different packaging materials, including: aluminum foil, banana leaves, nylon, and tin before cooking. The sensory acceptability of the samples was evaluated using a 9-point Hedonic scale. The results showed that the colour, taste, mouth-feel, and aroma of all the samples were significantly different (p > 0.05). The overall acceptability scores were 5.60, 5.58, 7.00, and 5.10 for okpa packaged with aluminum foil, banana leaves, nylon, and tin, respectively. The mineral compositions of the samples were evaluated using standard analytical methods. The results revealed that these packaging materials significantly (p < 0.05) affected the mineral composition of the samples. The sample packaged with aluminum foil had the highest calcium content (0.504 ppm), while the sample packaged with tin and nylon had the highest potassium content (1.034 ppm) and iron (1.233 ppm), respectively. The present study showed that the mineral content and sensory properties of the okpa were affected by different packaging materials.