Abstract

Dietary diversification through indigenous diets as means of ensuring household nutrition security is being promoted. Cassava diets constitute staple food to most Nigerian populace, but their contribution to nutrient intake is not well documented. Nutrient composition, effect of processing, and contribution of noodles (Abacha) and local salad from cassava to nutrient intake of consumers were studied. Proximate and mineral composition of raw cassava, Abacha snack and salad menu were carried out using standard methods of analysis of AOAC. The crude protein, lipid, fibre and ash content of cassava were very low (0.9, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.4/100 g, respectively). Processing cassava to Abacha led to significant reduction in proximate and significant improvement in mineral composition of product (p < 0.05). Preparing Abacha into local salad brought significant improvement (p < 0.05) in its nutrient content. 100 g portion of Abacha and local salad contained 0.8 and 14.3 g crude protein, 0.5 and 13.6 g lipids, 0.7 and 3.2 g fibre, 0.7 and 6.7 g ash, yielded 358.3 and 430.4 kilocalories and can contribute 15.6 and 18.7% energy, 1.3 and 22.7% protein, 4.7 and 21.3% crude fibre, 13.3 and 51.3% iron, 13.9 and 30.3% phosphorus, 24 and 36.0% zinc to percentage recommended dietary allowances (%RDAs) of consumers, respectively.   

Key words: Abacha snack, nutrient composition, cassava, local salad, nutrient contribution.