The nutritional quality of traditionally and commercially made Obushera

Abstract

The study presented here was to investigate the nutritional quality of the traditionally and commercially made Obushera. The pH, titratable acidity, reducing sugars and total protein concentrations which are important indicators of nutritional quality were measured. These four parameters affect the taste, flavour, nutritional value and generally the acceptability of Obushera to the final consumer. The difference in; grain variety and type used, duration of the steeping and malting processes, materials used during production and the hygienic conditions employed in the traditional and commercial production directly or indirectly affect the nutritional quality of the two categories of Obushera by influencing the changes in the above parameters. After considerable research and conduction of laboratory tests, the above parameters in traditionally and commercially made Obushera were obtained and compared. It was found out that the commercially made Obushera generally had higher pH values, lower titratable acidity, higher reducing sugar and total protein concentration compared to the traditionally made Obushera. It was also found out that very few of the commercial brands of Obushera sampled had atleast two of the required parameters reported in the Packaging material.