Maize quality requirements of producers of six traditional Ghanaian maize products

Abstract

Eight commercial producers of abolo, Fanti kenkey, fomfom, Ga kenkey,' nsewhu and workple from 18 towns of six southern regions of Ghana were interviewed on the quality of maize required by them for making their products. In decreasing order of importance, respondents chose general appearance, insect damage, moisture content, foreign matter, and mouldiness as the main quality indices they would like to be used as criteria for grading maize. The type of maize product influenced the choice of quality requirements for maize. Producers of workple, a wholemeal unfermented maize product, preferred maize of no mouldiness, almost no insect damage, and low moisture content. For abolo, Fanti and Ga kenkey producers, maize of low moisture content, low insect dl!mage, good general appearance and no mouldiness was equally important. Producers of nsewhu and 10m/om, two dehulled fermented maize products, require maize which can easily be dulled. Most producers have problems. using most of the newly released varieties of maize