ASPECTS OF CASSAVA-CEREAL COMPOSITE FLOUR QUALITY AND APPROPRIATE USEIN SOME KENYAN FOOD-PRODUCTS

Maize, sorghum, finger-millet, wheat and cassava flours were character ized for particle size distribution, extent of starch damage, starch s welling power and solubility. The cereals were composited with up to 5 0% cassava flour and the effect of compositing on flour water binding capacity and pasting behaviour studied. Sensoric evaluation showed tha t acceptable ugali and uji could be made from composite flours of maiz e, sorghum or finger-millet containing up to 20 and 40% respectively o f cassava flour while up to 50% cassava in wheat flour was suitable fo r making mandazi. It was found that coarseness in flour lowered starch swelling power and pasting viscosity. Furthermore, composite flours w ere potentially more economical to use than pure cereal flours in the view that compostie flours had higher water binding capacities, swelli ng ability, and solubility, which all point to an intrinsic capacity f or production of more food mass per unit weight of such flours.