The production of bamcorn, a maize-bambara groundnut product

Abstract

Diets based on ablemamu, a roasted maize or corn meal, alone are of low protein content. In Ghana, some maize diets such as akplidzii are supplemented in various ways with grain legumes. Experiments were, therefore, conducted to develop a simple but cheap and effective method for producing an enriched ablemamu called bamcorn using bambara groundnut (Voandzeia substerranea). Proximate analysis of the Bamcorn shows that it has a protein content of 62 per cent more than ablemamu. However, bamcorn contains 60 per cent less calcium than ablemamu. Results of organoleptic tests show that the bamcorn has an acceptable taste and flavour. A pilot technology involving cleaning, weighing, roasting, cooling, grinding, weighing, mixing and packaging the Bamcorn in polyethylene bags is briefly described