Quality Evaluation of Cowpea-Based Pudding as Influenced by Weed Control Measures

Weed competition has the capability of lowering the quality of agricultural items which eventually affects final products produced from them. This present study experimentally investigated the quality evaluation of cowpea-based pudding as influenced by strategies to weed control. Three treatments, two hoe weeding at 3 and 6 WAS (Weeks After Sowing)+ 50 cm by 50 cm inter-row spacing, three hoe weeding at 3,6, and 9 WAS + 50cm by 50cm inter-row spacing, and weedy check (no hoe weeding) + 50 by 50 cm inter-row spacing and a control sample without no treatment were evaluated. The cowpea grains were de-hulled, washed, milled to obtain cowpea flour. Using standard laboratory techniques, the cowpea flour’s mineral and anti-nutritional qualities were determined. The milled cowpea flour were turned into a paste and steamed for 40 minutes to obtain cowpea-based pudding. Anti-nutritional properties (trypsin inhibitors, tannin and phytate) and mineral composition (sodium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus) of the cowpea flour was determined while the physical (colour and textural) and sensory properties of the cowpeabased pudding was also determined. The range of values for trypsin inhibitors, tannin and phytate were 3.46-3.74%, 0.07-0.10%, 0.61-0.84% respectively. Mineral composition for cowpea flour showed a significant increase in sodium and potassium for the sample with the weedy check and 50 by 50cm inter-row spacing for magnesium, phosphorus and calcium, the control sample had the highest value. Based on the result, the sensory evaluation of the cowpea-based pudding showed the highest overall acceptability for the control sample with the value 8.39 followed by the treatment three hoe weeding at 3,6 and 9 weeks after sowing. The results of this study indicate that weed control methods led to an increase in sodium and potassium levels and a decrease in calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus levels in cowpea flour. Anti-nutritional compositions of cowpea flour were increased by weed control methods. The sensory score shows that weed control methods resulted into cowpea-based pudding with lower quality compared to the control methods.