Functionality of gum Arabic and sodium alginate on selected properties of Bambara groundnut tofu and its chunks.

Bambara groundnut (BGN) is a protein-rich legume and has not been used as the primary ingredient in tofu, as traditional tofu is typically made from soy milk. The texture (Instron texture analyser), colour (HunterLab ColorFlex spectrophotometer), rheology (rheometer), proximate (AOAC methods) and microstructure (scanning electron microscope) of BGN tofu as affected by coagulants ( vinegar, lemon juice and gluconolactone) and hydrocolloids (gum Arabic (0.3,0.40.5%) and sodium alginate (0.3,0.4,0.5%) were established in this study using a response surface I-optimal point exchange randomized design. The design consisted of six models, with three lack of fit and three replicate points, giving a total of twelve runs. The interaction of these hydrocolloids was optimal at 0.5% and was further used to make tofu chunks. The physicochemical and sensory properties of tofu chunks were evaluated.