Evaluation of Phytochemical, Functional and Mineral Composition of Extruded    Breakfast Cereals Made from Zea mays, Sorghum bicolor and Bryophyllum pinnatum Blends

Background: Breakfast cereals are a staple food that provides nutritional and sensory benefits. Incorporating plant-based ingredients with bioactive properties may enhance their nutritional and functional value.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Bryophyllum pinnatum leaf powder on the functional, pasting, mineral, phytochemical, and sensory properties of extruded breakfast cereals produced from maize (Zea mays) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) flour blends.

Methods: Five samples (MSB1, MSB2, MSB3, MSB4, and MSB5) were formulated from maize flour, sorghum flour and Bryophyllum pinnatum leaf powder at ratios of 70:28:2, 73:23:4, 78:16:6, 60:32:8, and 66:24:10 respectively, and were extruded. The functional, pasting, mineral, phytochemical, and sensory properties of the extrudates were determined.

Results: Bulk density, water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, swelling power, and solubility index ranged from 0.67 to 0.71 g/cm³, 1.70 to 1.88 g/g, 1.68 to 1.83 g/g, 9.07 to 11.19%, and 19.84 to 27.51%, respectively. Peak, trough, breakdown, final, setback viscosities ranged from 160 to 401.50 RVU, 140.50 to 357.50 RVU, 14.50 to 44 RVU, 337.50 to 828 RVU, 190.50 to 470.50 RVU, while pasting time ranged from 6.97 to 7.00 min. Sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, and zinc content ranged from 41.62 to 56.73 mg/100 g, 290.15 to 317.75 mg/100 g, 61.47 to 65.57 mg/100 g, 0.75 to 0.95 mg/100 g, and 0.44 to 0.66 mg/100 g respectively. Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity ranged from 36 to 80.80 mg/mL, 101.10 to 201.90 mg/mL, and 28.91 to 306 µg/mL, respectively. Sensory evaluation revealed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in overall acceptability among MSB1, MSB2, and MSB3. The regression models yielded R² values of 0.86 for phenolic content and 0.99 for flavonoid content.

Conclusions: The inclusion of B. pinnatum leaf powder significantly influenced the functional, pasting, mineral, and phytochemical properties of the extruded breakfast cereals, and the formulations with lower inclusion levels (MSB1–MSB3) remained equally acceptable to panelists.