Assessment of Some Chemical and Nutritional Properties of Maize, Rice and Millet Grains and Their Weaning Mushes

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess some chemical and nutritional properties of maize, rice and millet grains and their derivate mushes. Results showed on one hand that the density of studied cereal grains was very near to the one of the Chinese chive. But their capacities of hydration and inflation were very low in comparison to these of the same grains. Rice grains has a low capacity of hydration and a low index of hydration compared to maize and millet grains. With respect to their permeability and toughness, the studied cereal grains could be ranked as follow: rice > corn > thousand. Mushes flours also showed very low moisture content, high starch and carbohydrates contents, poor levels in lipids and proteins. They contain some essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc in variable concentrations. Contents in phytic acid were also variable. In consequence, the energy density of these flours appeared very high but it was lower than the one of the existing complement flours of Cote d`Ivoire markets.