Results and Discussion

Socio-demographic characteristic of respondents

Socio-demographic characteristics of respondents are presented in Table 1. A total of 172 persons responded to the questionnaire. Results of sex distribution among respondents indicated that 59.3% were male and 40.7% were female. This seems to suggest that males are beginning to get involved in local food processing hitherto termed a ‘female affair’. Victoria et al. reported 27.5% of male who were processors/consumers of fura in some Northern states of Nigeria [2]. The ages of the respondents, shown in Table 1 indicated that 36.6% were aged between 15 and 25 years, 23.3% were aged between 26-35 years; 20.3% were aged between 36-50 years and 19.7% were above 50 years. The age distribution of the respondents showed that younger persons (15-25 years) representing 36.6% are involved in fura processing/consumption. It would appear therefore that the younger persons appreciate fura in terms of processing and consumption. This finding is not in line with a study by Ingbian and Akpapunam [8], who reported that traditional foods are most popular only among the elderly.

Table 1: Socio-demographic characteristic of respondents.

Results on educational level of the respondents as shown in Table 1 indicate that 40.6% had primary education, 20.9% had secondary education, and 25.5% had no formal education, while only 12.8% had tertiary education. Involvement of persons with no formal education(25.5%) and people with primary education (40.6%) may contribute to improper hygiene practices during production and handling of fura which could lead to products with potential health hazards to the consumer. The uneducated and semi illiterates are ill equipped to appreciate modern methods of food hygiene, handling and processing. It is surmised that poor hygienic handling of fura is one of the reasons why utilization of fura is not very popular among the elites [13].

Fura Processing Materials and Ingredients

Table 2 shows the raw materials used for fura production. Millet is the significant (88.4%) raw cereal grain used to produce fura while 6.4% and 5.2% use maize and sorghum respectively. Even though it was noted that rice could equally be used by those interviewed, none of them indicated ever using it to produce fura. There is, however, a need to supplement fura since it is completely a cereal based food product which is deficient both in protein quantity and quality [14]. Spices added to cereal flour for fura processing are presented in Table 2. These were ginger (Zingiber officinale) 67.4%, and red pepper (Capsicum frutescens) 18.6%. It was noted that cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) could also be added (13.9%) as an ingredient but impacts a bitter taste. These ingredients are added as spices either alone or in combination. Ginger, red pepper and cloves act as antiinflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial and neuro-protective agents against cerebral insufficiency in the elderly [15]. Table 2 shows sweetener added to fura. More than half of the respondents (76%) use sweet potatoes while 17.4% use malted grains. Very few respondents (7%) use ripe plantains. The choice of sweet potatoes over malted grains and ripe plantain could be that sweet potatoes impact more sweetness.

Table 2 shows the source of water used to process fura. Majority (51%) of the respondents use stream/river water, 27% use pipeborne water, 18.6% use borehole water while 3.4% use well water. The quality of water used to process food materials is significant to the overall quality of the final products [13]. Fura is reported to have short shelf life [16]. The use of pipe-borne water to process fura would therefore be more appropriate. The use of stream or river water which is the commonest practice in this local government to process fura, could pose health hazards on consumers. Stream and river water are documented to be sources of coli form group of bacteria that cause food borne diseases [13].

Table 2: Information on raw materials most frequently used in fura processing.

The flow diagram of fura production process is shown in Figure 1. The information gathered from the respondents through interview showed that, there exists no variation in the procedure adopted for the traditional method of processing fura. This finding is in concordance with the traditional method of fura processing reported by Filli et al.[1].

Figure 1: Fura production process from millet.

Consumption pattern and nutritional information on fura

Table 3 shows the consumption pattern and the nutritional information of the respondents on fura. The majority (40.1%) of the respondents indicated that they started consuming fura from childhood, 27.9% began consuming fura as teenagers, while 11.6% of respondent indicated that they started consuming fura as adults. Other respondents (20.3%) could not remember when they began to consume fura. The high percentage (40.1%) of respondents who began to consume fura from childhood is an indication that fura is traditional with the people. Fura may have been handed over to the people by their parents. Based on this finding, it could be appropriate to call fura a traditional food. The results of the quantity of fura consumed at a time showed that most people (64%) consume less than 200 g at a time. The observed lower volume of fura consumed at a time could be that, fura is not usually consumed as a main course (meal), rather as an appetizer, a desert or a stop-gap preparatory for the main-meal. Respondents that consume 200 g were 21.5%, a while 6.4% gave no response.

Table 3: Consumption pattern of fura in Ankpa local government area in Kogi State.

Most people (72.1%) interviewed indicated that they consume fura occasionally (during fasting period). Fura serves as a refreshing and thirst quenching drink after a long period of fasting. Fewer respondents (21.5%) take fura once daily, 1.8% consume fura twice and thrice daily. Ayantuni et al. reported that factors determining food consumption are found to be convenience of purchase, availability, price, health concerns and culture/social reasons [16]. The low (21.5%)percentage of people that consume fura daily could be attributed to social reason. Most persons seem to associate indigenous/local foods with the poor and the uneducated. This perception could be changed if the nutritional quality of fura is improved upon and presented in a convenient form. The results of the knowledge on the nutritional quality of fura are presented in Table 3

Majority (75.6% of the people interviewed indicated not to have knowledge of the nutritional quality of fura. Only (18.6%) of the respondents indicated to have the knowledge on the nutritional quality of fura and 5.8% did not respond. These findings suggest a dire need to create nutritional awareness on local foods among the consumers. This will enable consumers to make informed choices.

Most people (93.6%) interviewed wanted the protein content of fura improved while 6.4% of the respondents preferred fura in its present form.

Protein deficiency is still a major problem in Nigeria and in Africa particularly among the low income group [17]. In Nigeria, this problem has become prevalent due to the faltering economy,which has led to declining import of costly protein-rich foods. Localproduction of protein-rich foods has also been low, a condition worsened by the low purchasing power of the people [18]. The need therefore, to look inwards for inexpensive quality protein foodscannot be overemphasized.

Result of the willingness of consumers to accept fura in powderedform indicated that 91.6% of the respondents preferred fura in powdered form. The busy nature of today’s society demands food that is convenient and has longer shelf life.

Results of the preferred protein sources with which to improve the protein quality of fura as shown in Figure 2 indicated 51.6% for soybean, 15% for ground nut, 11.4% for cashew nut, 8% bambara nut and African yam bean while cowpea and Pigeon pea have 4% and 2% respectively.

Figure 2: Respondents protein supplementation preference during fura processing.

Oil seeds such as soybean, groundnuts, cashew nuts and leguminous plants such as cowpea, bambara nuts, African yam beans and pigeon pea are known to be good sources of the essential amino acids, lysine, tryptophan and threonine which are limiting in cereals. Cereals on the other hands are good sources of methionine, an essential amino acid, limiting in oil seeds and legumes. When pearl millet is supplemented with any of these plants, they complement each other with their respective limiting amino acids. The quality of a protein is judged by the balance of essential amino acids [19]. Thus, combining a cereal like pearl millet with an oilseed or legume may result in a product that is nutritionally better than either ingredient alone. The 3 most preferred oilseeds (soybean, groundnut and cashew nut) by the respondents are widely grown and consumed in Nigeria. The use of soybeans as food in Nigeria is on the increase. Several technologies have been developed and are being employed to improve upon the utilization of soybean in Nigeria [20,21]. Ground nuts and cashew nuts have generally been well accepted and are being eaten in various ways. They are roasted or cooked and eaten as snacks. Thus incorporation of proteins from soybean, groundnuts and cashew nuts to enrich fura falls within the eating habits of the target population.