Formulation of plant-based food and characterisation of the nutritional composition: A case study on soy-moringa...

Formulation of plant-based food ingredients rich in nutrients is becoming a viable intervention to enhance food security. In this study, a novel soy-moringa beverage was produced using two processing methods. Method I involved blending soymilk and moringa juice, whereas method II dealt with the co-grinding of soymilk together with blanched moringa leaves. The proximate and mineral compositions, pH, total dissolved solids, and viscosity of the soy-moringa beverages were carefully analysed using standard methods. The results showed different nutritional compositions in the soy-moringa beverages formulated. Moreover, method II was found to be the most effective technique to process the soy-moringa beverage. Hence, the proximate compositions were observed to increase significantly (p < 0.05) with an increase in moringa leaves. The amounts of protein, fat, ash, fibre and carbohydrates increased by 49.77%, 8.59%, 84.85%, 85.71%, and 114.56%, respectively with the increase of moringa leaves. The concentrations of β-carotene, iron, calcium, copper, magnesium, and potassium presented an increasing trend by 147%, 40%, 284%, 30%, 12% and 190%, respectively as moringa leaves increase. The quantitative data on nutritional values and physicochemical properties suggested that the soy-moringa beverages produced with 30 and 40% moringa leaves under method II could be suitable to address undernutrition for vulnerable people.