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What Do Breadfruit, Tigernut and Bread Have in Common? Meet the Babcock Student Who Turned the Question into a National Award
What if two locally sourced food ingredients could offer new possibilities for one of the most familiar foods on our tables? That question lies at the heart of a research project that has earned national recognition for Oladipupo Anuoluwapo Inioluwa, a student of the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Babcock University.
Inioluwa emerged the top winner of the 2026 Nutrition Research and Innovation Challenge (NRIC) at the just-concluded Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) Conference in Lagos State. Her achievement puts a student-led research project in the spotlight and raises an important question about the possibilities hidden in Nigeria’s indigenous food resources.
The idea behind the award
Titled “Quality and Sensory Evaluation of Bread Made from Breadfruit and Tigernut Composite Flours,” Inioluwa’s research investigated the potential of combining breadfruit and tigernut flours in bread production.
The study focused on the quality characteristics of the resulting bread and its sensory acceptability, examining how the ingredients could be used together in a familiar food product.
Breadfruit and tigernut offer an interesting starting point for exploring alternative flour combinations. By investigating their use in bread production, the research contributes to broader conversations about food product development and the utilisation of locally available ingredients.
But beyond the ingredients themselves, the project illustrates how a research question can become an opportunity to investigate practical challenges in food and nutrition.
Why the research matters
Nigeria’s food and nutrition landscape presents opportunities to explore a wider range of locally sourced ingredients and how they might be incorporated into everyday foods.
Research into indigenous and under-utilised food resources can help expand knowledge about their potential applications in food production. Studies examining product quality and consumer acceptability are also important in determining whether new food formulations meet the expectations of the people who may eventually consume them.
Inioluwa’s work brings these questions together through the study of bread made from breadfruit and tigernut composite flours.
While further research and appropriate testing are necessary before drawing broader conclusions about nutritional benefits or commercial applications, the project highlights the value of investigating local food resources through scientific inquiry.
The role of mentorship
Behind the achievement is the guidance of Dr. Nnenna Choice Ajuzie, who supervised the research.
The partnership reflects the importance of academic mentorship in helping students develop research ideas, investigate questions within their disciplines and contribute to the advancement of knowledge.
The NRIC recognition celebrates outstanding student research and innovation in nutrition. Inioluwa’s success at the 2026 NSN Conference marks a significant milestone in her academic journey and brings attention to the contributions emerging researchers can make to Nigeria’s nutrition and food systems.
Research that matters at Babcock
For Babcock University, the achievement reflects the importance of research-driven education that encourages students to connect academic learning with questions that matter beyond the classroom.
Through the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, students engage with issues at the intersection of food, nutrition and human wellbeing. Research projects such as Inioluwa’s provide opportunities to investigate ideas, develop scientific knowledge and explore practical applications relevant to society.
Her recognition reinforces the University’s commitment to academic excellence, research and innovation, while highlighting the potential of young researchers to contribute meaningfully to their fields.
A study that began with the examination of two locally sourced ingredients has now earned national recognition. For Inioluwa, it is a proud academic milestone; for her department and supervisor, it is a moment to celebrate the value of mentorship and student research.
Congratulations to Oladipupo Anuoluwapo Inioluwa, her supervisor, Dr. Nnenna Choice Ajuzie, and the entire Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics on this outstanding achievement.