Kokoro (snack food) facts for kids

Kokoro is a yummy and crunchy snack from Nigeria, especially popular in a place called Ogun State. It's a bit like a crispy cookie or a savory puff! People make it from a dough of maize (corn) flour, mixed with sugar and a little bit of gari (which comes from a plant called cassava) or yam flour. After mixing, the dough is shaped and then deep-fried until it's golden and crispy.

What is Kokoro?

Kokoro is a popular treat that many Nigerians enjoy. It's often sold by street vendors and in markets. The main ingredients are simple, making it a common snack for many families. It has a unique taste that combines sweet and sometimes a little savory flavor.

How is Kokoro Made?

Making kokoro starts with creating a dough.

• First, maize flour is mixed with sugar.
• Then, either gari (from cassava) or yam flour is added.
• These ingredients are blended to form a thick paste.
• The paste is then shaped into small, often finger-like, pieces.
• Finally, these pieces are deep-fried in hot oil until they become crunchy and golden brown.

Keeping Kokoro Safe and Healthy

In 1991, a study looked at kokoro sold to kids in Lagos, a big city in Nigeria. Scientists checked samples of the snack for tiny living things called bacteria. They found different types of bacteria. Some of these bacteria can make people sick if the food isn't prepared cleanly.

This study showed how important it is to make sure food is prepared in a very clean way. It also highlighted the need to find ways to keep snacks like kokoro fresh for longer. This helps make sure everyone can enjoy them safely.

Making Kokoro Even Better

Scientists are always looking for ways to make popular foods healthier. They tried adding other ingredients to kokoro to boost its nutrition.

Adding More Goodness

One idea was to add flour from de-fatted soybean or groundnut (peanut) cake. These ingredients are packed with protein! However, if they added too much (more than 10% of the total flour), the kokoro didn't taste or feel quite right.

New Ways to Cook Snacks

Another exciting way to make a healthier snack, similar to kokoro, was developed using a method called extrusion cooking. This is a special way of cooking where ingredients are pushed through a machine under high pressure and heat.

For this new snack, they mixed maize and soybean with tasty additions like:

• Pepper
• Onion
• Salt
• Palm oil
• Plantain
• Banana

This method created a new, nutritious snack that kept the delicious flavors.