Effect of Pre-Treatment on the Proximate Composition of Cowpea Flour

 This study investigates the effect of various pre-treatment methods soaking, sprouting, and blanching on the proximate composition of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) flour. As cowpea remains a critical legume in addressing food insecurity and malnutrition across Sub-Saharan Africa, optimizing its nutritional profile through cost-effective processing is essential. The experiment involved five flour samples derived from untreated and pre-treated cowpeas, analyzed for moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, carbohydrates, and energy content using standard AOAC methods. Results showed statistically significant differences (p≤0.05) in most parameters across treatment groups. Sprouted cowpea flour (SCP) exhibited the highest enhancement in protein (27.31%) and fat content (2.09%), attributed to enzymatic activation during germination. Blanched samples (BCF) had the highest moisture content (7.51%), indicating lower shelf stability. Ash content was highest in untreated samples, reflecting richer mineral residue compared to processed samples. Although carbohydrate content slightly declined in treated samples, all values remained within the acceptable energy-yielding macronutrient range. Crude fiber content showed minimal variation across treatments, implying that processing methods did not significantly affect fiber levels. Energy values ranged from 354.20 to 395.19 kcal/100g, reinforcing cowpea flour's status as a high-energy food. These findings confirm that pre treatment methods, particularly sprouting, can substantially enhance the nutritional quality of cowpea flour, making it a superior candidate for dietary diversification, complementary feeding, and food product development in low-income regions. The study contributes to localized food technology innovation and offers practical recommendations for small-scale processing of nutritionally enriched legume-based flours. 

 This study investigates the effect of various pre-treatment methods soaking, sprouting, and blanching on the proximate composition of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) flour. As cowpea remains a critical legume in addressing food insecurity and malnutrition across Sub-Saharan Africa, optimizing its nutritional profile through cost-effective processing is essential. The experiment involved five flour samples derived from untreated and pre-treated cowpeas, analyzed for moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, carbohydrates, and energy content using standard AOAC methods. Results showed statistically significant differences (p≤0.05) in most parameters across treatment groups. Sprouted cowpea flour (SCP) exhibited the highest enhancement in protein (27.31%) and fat content (2.09%), attributed to enzymatic activation during germination. Blanched samples (BCF) had the highest moisture content (7.51%), indicating lower shelf stability. Ash content was highest in untreated samples, reflecting richer mineral residue compared to processed samples. Although carbohydrate content slightly declined in treated samples, all values remained within the acceptable energy-yielding macronutrient range. Crude fiber content showed minimal variation across treatments, implying that processing methods did not significantly affect fiber levels. Energy values ranged from 354.20 to 395.19 kcal/100g, reinforcing cowpea flour's status as a high-energy food. These findings confirm that pre treatment methods, particularly sprouting, can substantially enhance the nutritional quality of cowpea flour, making it a superior candidate for dietary diversification, complementary feeding, and food product development in low-income regions. The study contributes to localized food technology innovation and offers practical recommendations for small-scale processing of nutritionally enriched legume-based flours.