Author(s): B. SUBBULAKSHMI

Abstract: Cereals are the most important source of world’s food and have significant impact in human diet. Maize (Zea mays) is a major cereal crop for human nutrition worldwide with its high content of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, some of the important vitamins and minerals. Maize acquired a well deserved reputation as a poor man’s nutra- cereal. However, in spite of several important uses, maize has an inbuilt drawback of being deficient in two essential amino acids, viz., lysine and tryptophan. To overcome this, the breeding scientist mutated the normal maize and made grain proteins in the endosperm nearly twice as nutritious as those found in normal maize which is called as Quality Protein Maize (QPM). Effective utilization of QPM in diversified way, by conversion into a variety of products for use as infant foods, health foods/ mixes, convenience foods specialty foods and emergency ration we can achieve the food and nutritional security of our country. Hence, the present study was undertaken to develop nutritious recipes based on QPM maize as flour and suji (semolina) by supplementing with pulses. Quality protein maize (QPM) was substituted with different proportions in traditional foods (Idli, Dosa, Pittu and Adai), convenience foods (Papad and Noodles), bakery foods (Cookies and Bread) and snack foods (Vada and pakoda) which were organoleptically evaluated using 9 point hedonic scale and also estimated the nutrient composition of the products. The entire products were scored maximum acceptability and their nutrients content were higher compared to native maize based products. This contributes food and nutritional security by meeting energy and protein needs of consumer

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