Sensory Evaluation of Ugali Prepared from Blends of Cereal Flours and High Quality Cassava Flour in Mwanza Region, Tanzania

Objective: Ugali is an important meal in many parts of Eastern and Southern Africa and is typically prepared from a single staple food like maize, cassava, millet and sorghum or their composite. The objective of this study was to understand the perception of sensory parameters when varying ratios of maize (refined and unrefined) and sorghum flour when substituted with high quality cassava flour (HQCF) 80%, 60%, 40% and 20% in the preparation of ugali.

Methodology: The samples of ugali prepared were randomly subjected to panelists to evaluate sensory attributes preferred most by panelists. Thirty semi trained panelists who were females and males aged above 18 years participated and gave information on sensory signals. The panelists evaluated the samples independently and recorded the rating of the samples in the sensory evaluation questionnaire. The sensory parameters of ugali assessed were color, cookerbility, taste, texture, aroma and general acceptability using a five point hedonic scale.

Results: Ugali made from the blends of unrefined maize flour (Dona) and HQCF as well as sorghum flour and HQCF at the ratio of 20:80 and 20:80 respectively were highly acceptable by panelists (mean score < 3). Ugali made from refined maize flour (Sembe) blended with HQCF at ratio of 80:20 was also preferred by panelists (mean score < 3) as compared to ugali made from other ratios. The highly acceptability (mean score < 3) of the ugali was influenced by color, cookerbility, taste, texture, aroma. At these flour ratios the blends of flours resulted in increment of protein, fats and slightly decrease in starch content.

Conclusion: Blending HQCF and cereals (sorghum and maize) flours improved the organoleptic and nutritional properties of ugali.