Nutritional Properties of Cooked Instant Noodles Fortified with Annatto Seed Flour

Olaleye Tinuoye & Eyitayo Tinuoye, Volume 6 Issue 1, December 2025 Pages 9-16, Published: 2025-03-30

Abstract

Instant noodles are known for their consumption among the Nigerian population; their primary ingredient (wheat flour) is low in protein content, vitamin A and essential nutrients. Annatto is a monotypic genus of the family Bixaceace. The sensory attributes and nutritional effect of fortification of instant noodles with annato seed flour is thus investigated (proximate composition and vitamin A). The most acceptable sample is 3% ANNANOD (annatto seed flour and Instant noodles), annatto seed flour (ANNA) and cooked instant noodles (NOD) were subjected to further analyses. Proximate analysis was carried out using the method described by the Association of Official Analytical Chemist (AOAC). The nutrient constituents revealed that the crude protein contents were 16.97 ± 0.59, 13.67 ± 0.01, and 15.73 ± 1.53 g/100 g for ANNA, NOD and ANNANOD, respectively. The crude fiber contents were 11.64 ± 2.32 g/100 g for ANNA, 0.03 ± 0.01 g/100 g for NOD and 0.33 ± 0.01 g/100 g for ANNANOD. The moisture contents were 3.29 ± 0.02 g/100 g for ANNA, 5.31 ± 0.04 g/100 g for NOD and 5.64 ± 4.11 g/100 g for ANNANOD. The ash contents were 7.78 ± 1.32, 0.60 ± 0.03, and 0.72 ± 0.13 g/100 g for ANNA, NOD and ANNANOD, respectively. The level of Vitamin A obtained for ANNA, NOD and ANNANOD were 53,522.31, 19.00, and 456.72µg/g, respectively. It is evident, from this study that, fortification of instant noodles with annatto seed increased the proximate components and vitamin A contents of the noodles.