Heteroscedasticity analysis of nixtamalization effect on nutrients, digestibility, and functional properties of quality protein maize and indigenous local maize flour

This study investigates the variability of nutrients, digestibility, and functional properties of two varieties of maize-Indigenous Local maize (ILM) and Quality Protein Maize (QPM) processed into traditional and nixtamalized flour. Crude protein, lysine, available lysine, niacin content, in vitro protein digestibility, in vitro starch digestibility, and functional properties data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistics, correlation, and general linear model analyses. Results indicated that crude protein was highest (9.047 g/100 g) in traditional QPM flour, while lysine, available lysine, and Niacin were highest in nixtamalized QPM flour. General linear model analysis indicated that the type of treatment significantly affected the mean content of crude protein, lysine, available lysine, and niacin. The F-(3,F-4:0.05) = 16.333, 809.90, 58.48, and 229.72 garnered, respectively, for bulk density, water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity, and least gelation concentration of the processed maize sample were significant (p < .01). Nixtamalization as a processing technology could be harnessed for good quality maize flour development in terms of nutrients availability, digestibility, and functional properties. Practical applications The practical application of this study is that knowledge of the variability of nixtamalized maize flour sample is essential for food product development, food control, and standardization. Also, the variability of the nixtamalized maize flour sample enhances processors/industrialists' knowledge and preference over the traditional maize flour processing as well as consumers' acceptability/and preference to the earlier known maize flour sample.