Nutritional composition and glycemic index analyses of vitamin A‐biofortified maize in healthy subjects

Besides being a veritable tool for easing the problem of vitamin A deficiency (VAD), this study sought to explore another potential health benefit of vitamin A‐biofortified maize (VABM). In the present study, the nutritional composition and glycemic index (GI) of tuwo masara (a nonfermented maize‐based dumpling), made from VABM and the indigenous white maize (IWM) genotype, were evaluated. VABM showed significantly (p < 0.05) lower fat (4.38 ± 0.46%) and crude protein (6.58 ± 0.13%) but higher crude fiber (5.29 ± 0.0%) contents compared to 5.22 ± 0.25% crude fat, 7.28 ± 0.11% crude protein, and 4.69 ± 0.00% crude fiber in the IWM. The phytic acid content in the IWM (2.77 mg/100 g) was 39% higher than the level (2.0 ± 0.04 mg/100 g) in VABM. The major provitamin A carotenoid in the VABM were lutein (7.37 ± 0.52 μg/g), zeaxanthin (1.65 ± 0.01 μg/g), cryptoxanthin (1.29 ± 0.02 μg/g), and all‐trans‐β‐carotene (0.83 ± 0.02 μg/g), while the IWM contained only lutein (1.52 ± 0.32 μg/g). The total carotene concentration, 12.74 ± 1.13 μg/g dry weight in the VABM, was over eight times higher than that observed for the IWM, 1.52 ± 0.32 μg/g dry weight. The VABM tuwo masara showed a significantly lower GI value (70.3%) compared to the IWM tuwo masara (87.7%). Data obtained from the study further attest to the positive nutritional and health benefits of VABM.