Proximate Composition, Functional Properties, and Anti-Nutritional Factors of Cottonseed- Enriched Maize Composite Flours for Complementary Infant Foods

This study investigated the nutritional quality, functional characteristics, and anti-nutritional factors of maize–cottonseed composite flours formulated as potential complementary foods for infants. Maize ( Zea mays ) flour was blended with cottonseed ( Gossypium hirsutum ) flour at substitution levels of 100% maize (MC1), 90:10 (MC2), 80:20 (MC3), 70:30 (MC4), 60:40 (MC5), and 50:50 (MC6) maize-to-cottonseed flour. The resulting composite flours were analysed for proximate composition, functional properties (bulk density, water and oil absorption capacities, swelling capacity, least gelation concentration and temperature), and anti-nutritional factors (tannin, phytate, and gossypol). Furthermore, multivariate analyses, including hierarchical clustering and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to evaluate sample similarities and compositional drivers. The results showed that increasing cottonseed substitution significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved the nutritional profile of the composite flours. Interestingly, increasing cottonseed inclusion significantly (p ≤ 0.05) enhanced protein, fat, crude fibre, and energy contents, with protein rising from 13.25% in MC1 to 16.79% in MC6 and energy density peaking at 471.12 kcal in MC4. Carbohydrate content decreased correspondingly, reflecting dilution of maize starch. Functionally, cottonseed enrichment reduced bulk density (0.76 g/mL in MC1 to 0.66 g/mL in MC6) while improving water absorption, oil absorption, swelling capacity, and gelation efficiency. Notably, MC4 (70:30) exhibited the lowest least gelation concentration (5%), indicating optimal gel-forming ability for infant food applications. Anti-nutritional factors increased with higher cottonseed levels, with MC4–MC6 showing elevated gossypol contents. Lastly, multivariate analyses revealed clear differentiation among the formulations: MC1–MC3 clustered as carbohydrate-rich samples, MC5 was characterized by high fibre content, while MC4 and MC6 were distinguished by their superior protein and energy profiles. Maize-cottonseed composite flours, particularly at moderate substitution levels (20–30%), offer a promising and cost-effective strategy for enhancing the nutritional quality of cereal-based complementary foods and addressing protein–energy malnutrition in infants.