Effect of cooking time on the physical, chemical and thermal properties of acha seeds

Abstract

Acha is a less utilized cereal grain in Africa. Scaling up of the processing technology of acha seeds is desirable if accurate information on effect of processing on its properties is available. This study investigated the effect of cooking duration on the chemical and physical properties of acha seeds. Cooking times (2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 minutes) at 100^oC were used. The volume, length, breadth, thickness, porosity, density, sphericity, aspect ratio, specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, moisture, protein, fat, ash, crude fibre and carbohydrate were determined using standard methods. Data were analysed using ANOVA at p = 0.05. The results obtained revealed that varietal difference had a significant effect on volume, length, breadth, thickness, true density, bulk density, porosity, sphericity and aspect ratio. The moisture content, ash, protein, crude fibre, fat, carbohydrate, specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity varied from 8.80 - 56.17 %, 0.32 - 1.87%, 1.92 - 11.50%, 0.29 - 1.58%, 0.32 - 2.81%, 40.94 - 76.26%, 1.66 -2.97 kJkg^-1K^-1, 0.26 -0.43 Wm^-1K^-1 and 0.85 x 10^-7 - 1.17 x 10^-7 ms^-2 respectively, as significantly influenced by cooking time. Cooking for 7.5 minutes was appropriate using the moisture uptakes and thermal properties as criteria.