Lentil Flour Research Articles

Gluten-Free Crackers Preparation

The present work was carried out to prepare gluten free crackers of high quality for celiac ailment patients. Gluten free crackers prepared from rice flour, lentil flour and quinoa flour is an innovative and highly nutritious snacks produce. The chemical analyzed included as minerals and amino acids of broken rice, lentil and quinoa flour and its blends was estimated. Then, chemical composition for gluten free crackers blends was estimated and the results presented that ash, crude protein, fat and fiber contents were higher in all blends prepared using rice flour, quinoa flour and lentil flour than that blend prepared using rice flour. All sensory parameters of free gluten crackers samples B2, B3, B4 and B5 prepared using rice flour, lentil flour, and quinoa flour were somewhat higher than crackers prepared from rice flour B1. Hardness decreased from 74.97 newton in blend (1) made from 100% rice flour to 35.19 newton in blend (5) made from 50% rice flour, 25% lentil flour and 25% quinoa flour. Finally, it could make some bakery products using raw materials free of gluten like rice flour, lentil flour and quinoa flour with high quality that are suitable for celiac ailment patients.

Gluten-Free Crackers Preparation

Gluten free crackers enriched with rice flour ,lentil flour and quinoa flour is an innovative and highly nutritious snacks product. The current study was carried out to make gluten free crackers of high quality for celiac disease patients. The chemical analyzed included as minerals and amino acids of broken rice, lentil and quinoa flour and its blends was determined. Also, chemical composition for gluten free crackers blends was determined and the results showed that ash, protein, ether extract and fiber contents were higher in all blends prepared using rice flour, quinoa flour and lentil flour than that blend prepared using rice flour. All sensory properties of free gluten crackers blends B2, B3, B4 and B5 prepared using rice flour, lentil flour, and quinoa flour were somewhat higher than crackers prepared from rice flour B1. Hardness decreased from 74.97 newton in blend (1) made from 100% rice flour to 35.19 newton in blend (5) made from 50% rice flour, 25% lentil flour and 25% quinoa flour. Finally, it could prepare some bakery products using raw materials free of gluten such rice flour, lentil flour and quinoa flour with high quality that are proper for celiac disease patients.

Novel crackers incorporated with carob and green lentil flours: Physicochemical, textural, and sensory attributes

This study investigated the impacts of the use of carob flour (CF) and CF + green lentil flour (GLF; 50:50, w/w) at 0% (control), 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12% levels on the quality and sensory properties of crackers. Crackers made from CF + GLF showed higher L* and hue values and lower a* values than crackers made from CF at the same addition levels. The inclusion of CF and CF + GLF had no significant (p < .05) effects on the diameter, thickness, and spread ratio values. The addition of 12% CF and “6%CF + 6%GLF” decreased the hardness values of crackers from 12.09 N to 4.80 N and 4.48 N, respectively. Compared to the control, the inclusion of 12% CF and “6%CF + 6%GLF” elicited greater ash content. Crackers enriched with “3%CF + 3%GLF”, “4.5%CF + 4.5%GLF,” and “6%CF + 6%GLF” had higher protein amounts than crackers enriched with 6%, 9%, and 12% CF. While crackers containing 12% CF had considerably lower phytic acid concentration (97.1 mg/100 g) than the control (184.1 mg/100 g), incorporation of “6%CF + 6%GLF” increased it (256.1 mg/100 g). Compared to the control, increasing levels of CF and CF + GLF gradually enhanced the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of crackers. Moreover, crackers made from CF had stronger antioxidant properties than crackers made from CF + GLF. The highest acceptability scores were observed in the control and crackers containing 3% and 6% CF and “1.5%CF + 1.5%GLF” and “3%CF + 3%GLF.” Based on the findings, CF + GLF (up to 12%) has the potential to produce acceptable nutritious crackers with strong antioxidant properties and possible health benefits. Novelty impact statement Carob is a functional ingredient with rich polyphenol and dietary fiber content. Green lentil contains high amounts of proteins, fibers, and phytochemicals. The findings of the study revealed that novel cracker formulations containing carob and green lentil flours could represent a healthy option in the food industry.

Improvement of the nutritional quality of lentil flours by infrared heating of seeds varying in size

The present study aimed to tackle research gaps regarding how infrared heating affected macro- and micronutrients of lentil flours from seeds varying in size. Infrared treatments reduced resistant starch contents of lentil flours from 26.1–33.6% to 6.0–17.8%, increased protein digestibility from 73.6–75.0% to 78.2–82.2%, and enhanced soluble dietary fiber contents from 6.1–7.8% to 7.4–10.3%. Infrared treatments did not alter the primary limiting amino acid of Greenstar and Imvincible lentil flours (tryptophan) but changed that of Maxim to methionine + cysteine at 150 °C heating. Regarding micronutrients, the thermal modifications decreased the levels of heat-labile B vitamins, including B1 (thiamine), B3 (niacin), and B9 (mainly 5-methylterahydrofolate), consistent with reducing α-amylase activity to an undetectable level in all the three lentil flours. The novel findings from this research will be meaningful for the agri-food industry to utilize infrared processing as an effective and clean-label approach to improving the nutritional profiles of lentil and other flours.

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) Flour Varieties as Promising New Ingredients for Gluten-Free Cookies.

Monotony in a gluten-free (GF) diet can be a challenge because of a limited choice of acceptable cereal sources. This study investigates the potential of five types of differently coloured lentils in the development of GF cookies using rice flour as a reference. Raw materials (lentil flours) and cookies were characterised in terms of physicochemical parameters (e.g., crude protein content, total phenolics and flavonoids, antioxidant properties, colour, pH); additionally, geometry, baking loss and texture profile were determined for the cookies. A sensory acceptance test was also conducted to find out consumer preferences regarding rice versus different lentil cookies. Results showed that lentil cookies were superior to rice control in terms of higher crude protein (12.1–14.8 vs. 3.8 g/100 g), phenolic (136.5–342.3 vs. 61.5 mg gallic acid equivalents/100 g) and flavonoid (23.8–75.9 vs. 13.1 mg catechin equivalents/100 g) content and antioxidant capacity (0.60–1.81 vs. 0.35 mmol trolox equivalents/100 g), as well as lower hydroxymethyl-furfural content (<1 vs. 26.2 mg/kg). Consumers preferred lentil cookies to rice ones (overall liking: 6.1–7.0 vs. 5.6, significant differences for red and brown lentils), liking especially their taste (6.3–7.0 vs. 5.5). Depending on the target parameter, whether physicochemical or sensory, these lentil flours can be promising raw materials for GF bakery products.

Properties and in vitro digestibility of a bread enriched with lentil flour at different leavening times

The effects of three leavening times (60, 105 and 150 min) on structure and some physico-chemical and nutritional properties of bread added with 20 % of green lentil flour were investigated. Leavening time largely affected bread physico-chemical properties, leading to a significant reduction in moisture content, an increase in weight loss and a darker appearance of bread crumb as leavening time increased. Besides, crumb of bread leavened for the longest time (B150) showed a compact structure and the highest resistance to the compression, while the Young’s modulus increased linearly with the rising of leavening time. By contrast, breads leavened for shorter times (B60 and B105) had a more porous structure with more circular bubbles compared to B150, exhibiting lower deformation resistance. Different bread macrostructure had a significant impact on the in vitro protein and starch digestibility. The α amino nitrogen release and the estimated Glycemic Index (eGI) at the end of digestion reached the lowest values in bread leavened for the longest time (B150). In particular, eGI showed a linear correlation both with the Young’s modulus (R 2 = −0.926) and macrostructural properties (R 2 = 0.902), suggesting that modelling bread structure by acting on leavening time can be a novel approach to develop healthier products. • Leavening time affected structure development of lentil flour (LF) enriched breads. • The glycaemic index was positively correlated to visual porosity of LF bread. • Bread visual porosity was negatively correlated to mechanical properties. • The released amino acids amount after digestion decreased at higher leavening times. • Leavening time could be used to modulate the rate of starch digestion.

Effect of raw and heat‐treated yellow lentil flour on starch‐based gluten‐free noodle quality

In this study, raw yellow lentil flour (YL) and heat-treated yellow lentil flour (HYL) were used at different levels (0–80%, w/w) to produce lentil flour-enriched noodles. Physicochemical, thermal, and functional properties of the YL and HYL were compared for evaluating the effects of heat treatment. Besides, noodle quality, nutrient composition, textural, sensory, and microstructural analyses were performed. The protein content of YL and HYL was found in the same group (p > .05), although a significant reduction in the water-soluble proteins was observed (p < .05). Similarly, ash, water holding capacity, swelling power, and solubility of HYL were lower than YL. The denaturation peak temperature of YL was found as 116.8°C and shifted to 122.7°C for HYL. Nutritional composition of noodles was improved by increasing the level of YL and HYL. Although an increase was observed in phytic acid by YL/HYL addition, it decreased after cooking of noodles. Overall, all noodles were evaluated as acceptable. Novelty impact statement Gluten-free food formulations are often based on starch-based ingredients; therefore, have low nutritional quality, rich in carbohydrate and fat, low in dietary fiber. Water-soluble protein amount of raw and heat-treated yellow lentil flour-based noodles was significantly higher (nearly 4× and 2×, respectively) than control (potato starch-rice flour-based) noodle. Hardness values were found between 7.1 and 14.0 N and did not show any correlation with the amount of yellow lentil flour. HYL20 noodle had the highest flavor and overall liking score, but for all tested sensory parameters the noodles had scored above 5 point, so they were regarded as acceptable.

Modern trend – health products with microalgae

The article presents the results of research on minced nutria, rabbit, chicken meat with the addition of chlorella microalgae and lentil flour to enrich the product with essential substances and expand the range of health products. The use of microalgae in food is quite effective because they are an alternative source of micro- and macronutrients that are essential for human health. The research of the influence of vegetable raw materials on the quality indicators of meat loaves with the use of dietary meat was conducted. It is proposed to use chlorella additive “Vegan Prod” (powder), in the amount of 3 % of minced meat weight as part of the recipe of meat loaves. According to the results of organoleptic evaluation, the addition of 3 and 2 % lentil flour to the minced microalgae of chlorella “Vegan Prod” per 100 kg of raw materials creates the preconditions for improving the functional and technological properties of finished products. According to the results of studies of meat breads before and after baking the mineral composition of trace elements K, Mg, P, their content was doubled after heat treatment, which is explained by the addition of “Vegan Prod” chlorella and lentil flour to the recipe, increasing them as a result of decreasing moisture content in the finished product. However the use of chlorella “Vegan Prod”, although it affects the color change of the product, but does not worsen the overall score on organoleptic parameters. The use of dietary meat of nutria, rabbit and poultry in the recipe of meat loaves affects the stabilization of the structure, organoleptic properties and increases the yield of the finished product.

Effect of manufacturing conditions on in vitro starch and protein digestibility of (cellular) lentil-based ingredients

(Cellular) pulse powders are being proposed as ingredients for different foods. However, the effect of manufacturing conditions on the properties of those powders remained unknown. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of specific manufacturing conditions (cooking time, application of cell isolation, and drying method) on the composition, microstructure, and in vitro starch and protein digestibility of lentil powders. Next to powders consisting of isolated cotyledon cells (ICC), this study proposes the production of precooked whole lentil powders (WL), without a cellular isolation step. In a model food system (heat-treated suspension), starch and protein digestion were significantly attenuated for both WL and ICC compared to raw-milled lentil flour. The applied cooking time determined macronutrient digestibility in the powders by (i) affecting the susceptibility of ICC to in vitro digestion, and (ii) determining the microstructural properties of WL. Freeze-dried ICC powder showed a stronger attenuation of amylolysis compared air-dried ICC. This study showed that WL powders have an important potential as innovative food ingredients higher in fiber but lower in starch compared to ICC.

Physical and microstructural quality of extruded snacks made from blends of barley and green lentil flours

AbstractBackground and objectivesMost puffed snacks in the market are made from refined cereal flours which allow greater expansion and better texture but are nutritionally inferior as they lack protein and dietary fiber. Whole barley and green lentil flours at several blending ratios were extruded as a function of temperature and moisture content to optimize the physical and microstructural quality of fiber and protein‐enriched snacks.FindingsHigh extrusion temperature significantly improved overall expansion and texture. The effects of feed moisture depended on the blending ratio, parallel with the total protein and dietary fiber content of extrudates. Barley:green lentil of 45:55 showed the highest extrudate expansion (~1.9 mm/mm on average) and lowest hardness (~29 N on average), followed by the blend 60:40. X‐ray microtomography showed that this blending ratio also produced a larger mean cell size (~1.6 mm), lower mean wall thickness (~0.3 mm), and higher overall connectivity between cells.ConclusionBarley and green lentil when blended at the ratios of 45:55 and 60:40, and extruded at higher temperature resulted in optimal extrudate physical and microstructural properties including higher expansion and crispness, thinner cell walls, reduced hardness, and crunchiness.Significance and noveltyBlending cereal and pulse flours in snack food applications will allow development of fiber and protein‐enriched options that are also texturally and structurally appealing.

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.): A Current Review

Lentil was first cultivated 8000–10,000 years ago and is a protein-rich crop. It is an important dietary component in many Mediterranean and Asian countries but allergic reactions to lentil intake was reported in some countries. Lentil yield is a key and difficult trait to enhance for crop genetic improvement. Several biotic and abiotic variables such as drought, high temperature, salinity, mineral deficiency and fungal diseases limit the production of lentils. Landraces and wild relatives are more tolerant to adverse environmental conditions. Molecular tools to assist breeding efforts in lentil are less well developed in comparison with other crops. Due to its excellent and balanced nutritional composition, the use of lentil flour in bakery, extruded and other products is gaining attention from food technologists and industry. In this review, some valuable information related to lentil is extracted from international articles published in last two years and presented here.

Partial replacement of starch‐based flours with quinoa or yellow lentil flour in the production of gluten‐free noodles

The aims of this study are to produce gluten-free noodles by partial replacement of starches with quinoa (QF) and yellow lentil flour (YLF) for improving the nutritional composition with plant-based gluten-free protein sources and evaluate the effects of enrichment levels (0-12.5-25-50%) on the quality and textural properties of noodles. The protein content of control noodles (C) was significantly increased due to QF and YLF replacement, however, the protein content of 50% YLF was found more than double of the control sample (p < .05). The peak viscosity of corn starch was the highest among flour samples (4.792 Pa s), whereas the lowest was obtained for QF (0.882 Pa s). Cooking loss of gluten-free noodles was increased by QF or YLF increased (p < .05), however, all noodles fell within acceptable limits. The hardness of gluten-free noodles was increased by QF and YLF amounts increased and reached the highest value of 50% YLF-including noodles. Novelty impact statement Sustainable food product development can be achieved by utilization of legumes due to their low carbon foodprint. They are good candidates for nutritional improvement as increasing quinoa and yellow lentil flour has significantly increased the protein content of noodles. Hardness of noodles was increased and reached a maximum of 50% YLF-added sample. Cooking loss of all noodles was found acceptable because they were lower than the given limits of durum-wheat pasta.

Development of third generation protein rich snacks from lentil and egg powder through microwave assisted extrusion cooking

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to formulate a complete protein food from lentil flour (LF) and egg powder (EP) through microwave-assisted extrusion technology.Design/methodology/approachIn the first part of the hybrid technology, the feed proportion and extrusion conditions were optimized through design expert using central composite rotatable design. In the second part of hybrid technology, the optimized protein pellets (PP) obtained were subjected to microwave heating (MH) for 50,100, 150, 200 and 250 s.FindingsThe optimum predicted conditions for development of pellets using extrusion cooking were feed proportion (85% LF and 15% EP), barrel temperature (140°C), screw speed (340 rpm) and feed moisture content (12%). When these pellets were subjected to MH, 150 s of heating time was considered as prudential to induce desirable quality changes in PP. The increase in sectional expansion index, crispness and overall acceptability from 0.637 to 0.659, 4.51 to 6.1 and 3.27 to 3.59 with corresponding decrease in bulk density and breaking strength from 73.33 to 69.75 kg/cm3 and 6.24 to 5.13 N during 150 s of MH indicated that quality characteristics of extruded PPs were improved after MH.Practical implicationsNowadays, consumers have become more health conscious than ever, and the demand for nutritious snacks has increased many folds. However, the high protein content restricts expansion of snacks, which was overcome by subjecting extruded pellets to MH to produce third generation pellets. Furthermore, the PP has a protein content of 31.62%, which indicates that if an average person consumes 100 g of these snacks, it will suffice 60% of total recommended dietary intake (0.75 g/kg body weight/day). Lentil-based pellets expanded by use of such hybrid technology (microwave-assisted extrusion cooking) can help to provide a feasible, low cost and protein-rich diet for malnourished population besides being a value addition to lentils.Originality/valueLF in combination with EP was tested for the first time for development of nutrient dense pellets. Moreover, use of microwave-assisted extrusion cooking offers a workable and innovative technique of developing protein-rich pellets with improved physico-chemical and sensory attributes.

Impact of lentil-wheat bread on calcium metabolism, cecal and serum parameters in growing Wistar rats

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of bread with thermal treated lentil flour on metabolic and physiological parameters. Thirty-two Wistar rats fed for 60 days with different diets were studied: control (C), wheat bread (WB), wheat-lentil bread (LB), and lentil flour (LF). Food intake, weight gain, feces moisture, and apparent calcium absorption (AACa) were recorded during the experiment. The weight and pH of the cecum, as well as serum parameters, were evaluated after sacrifice. LB group showed higher intake and weight gain. Diets with lentil produced several positive effects: an increase in feces moisture, higher AACa, augmentation of cecum weight, and acidification in the cecum. Besides, an improvement in bone quality and a reduction of cholesterol was observed with lentil diets. Because of the named benefits, bread containing lentil flour could be considered a functional food.

Nutritional and antioxidant changes in lentils and quinoa through fungal solid-state fermentation with Pleurotus ostreatus

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) may be a suitable bioprocess to produce protein-vegetal ingredients with increased nutritional and functional value. This study assessed changes in phenol content, antinutrient content, biomass production and protein production resulting from the metabolic activity of Pleurotus ostreatus, an edible fungus, in lentils and quinoa over 14 days of SSF. The impact of particle size on these parameters was also assessed because the process was conducted in both seeds and flours. Fungus biomass increased during fermentation, reaching 30.0 ± 1.4 mg/g dry basis and 32 ± 3 mg/g dry basis in lentil grain and flour and 52.01 ± 1.08 mg/g dry basis and 45 ± 2 mg/g dry basis in quinoa seeds and flour after 14 days of SSF. Total protein content also increased by 20% to 25% during fermentation, in all cases except lentil flour. However, the soluble protein fraction remained constant. Regarding phytic acid, SSF had a positive impact, with a progressive decrease being higher in flours than in seeds. Regarding antioxidant properties, autoclaving of the substrates promoted the release of polyphenols, together with antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH and FRAP), in all substrates. However, these parameters drastically decreased as fermentation progressed. These results provide scientific knowledge for producing lentil- or quinoa-based ingredients with low antinutrient content enriched with protein fungal biomass.Graphical

Improving the technology of boiled sausages with the addition of vegetable protein for the nutrition of school-age children

The content of the article is closely related to the fact that all modern society promotes a healthy lifestyle. Meat products are of particular importance for this concept-proper nutrition is also considered. Poultry meat is used as the main source of raw materials in the production of product formulations, as well as lentil flour as vegetable protein. During the study, it was found that when using protein raw materials from lentils, the stability of meat emulsions increased, and the proportion of fat decreased, and the proportion of protein in the products increased, which ensured a decrease in cholesterol and the overall energy value of the products. At the same time, the amino acid composition of the products is balanced, the consistency improves, and the yield increases. In the course of laboratory studies, the mass fraction of protein, fat, carbohydrates, moisture and nitrites in the proposed product was determined. A sample of the product with lentil flour was formed, which underwent organoleptic examination.

Is my food safe? – AI-based classification of lentil flour samples with trace levels of gluten or nuts

An artificial intelligence-based method to rapidly detect adulterated lentil flour in real time is presented. Mathematical models based on convolutional neural networks and transfer learning (viz., ResNet34) have been trained to identify lentil flour samples that contain trace levels of wheat (gluten) or pistachios (nuts), aiding two relevant populations (people with celiac disease and with nut allergies, respectively). The technique is based on the analysis of photographs taken by a simple reflex camera and further classification into groups assigned to adulterant type and amount (up to 50 ppm). Two different algorithms were trained, one per adulterant, using a total of 2200 images for each neural network. Using blind sets of data (10% of the collected images; initially and randomly separated) to evaluate the performance of the models led to strong performances, as 99.1% of lentil flour samples containing ground pistachio were correctly classified, while 96.4% accuracy was reached to classify the samples containing wheat flour.

Antioxidant Content and Antioxidant Capacity of the Protein-Rich Powdered Beverages Enriched with Flax Seeds Gum.

Powdered beverages produced from dried fruit and vegetables are new products whose properties may be tailored by adding efficient nutrients and functional ingredients. The analyses of low-molecular antioxidants and antioxidant properties as well as nutrient content and digestibility were tested in beverages enriched with lentil proteins (AGF) and flaxseed gum (FSG). A replacement of sprouted lentil flour with the AGF deteriorated the phenolic content. As a main source of phenolics and vitamin C, lyophilized parsley leaves and broccoli sprouts were recognized. (There was no clear effect of the FGS.) The highest content of phenolics was determined in the beverages with these additives without the AGS (c.a. 125 μg/g). The AGF significantly improved the ability to quench ABTS radicals and reduce power. The best results were for the beverages without the FSG. (The effect was enhanced by lyophilized fruit and green vegetables.) The lowest chelating power and ability to quench hydroxyl radicals were in the beverages based on the AGF (improvement by the FSG and green vegetables). The tailoring of beverages’ recipes significantly increased protein content and did not affect nutrient digestibility. The modifications allow obtaining the beverages exhibiting multidirectional antioxidant properties, being a source of easily bioaccessible starch and proteins.

Iron Bioavailability from Infant Cereals Containing Whole Grains and Pulses: A Stable Isotope Study in Malawian Children

BackgroundCompared with infant cereals based on refined grains, an infant cereal containing whole grains (WGs) and pulses with adequate amounts of ascorbic acid to protect against absorption inhibitors could be a healthier source of well-absorbed iron. However, iron absorption from such cereals is uncertain. ObjectiveWe measured iron bioavailability from ferrous fumarate (Fefum) added to commercial infant cereals containing 1) refined wheat flour (reference meal), 2) WG wheat and lentil flour (WG-wheat-lentil), 3) WG wheat and chickpea flour (WG-wheat-chickpeas), and 4) WG oat flour (WG-oat) and from ferrous bisglycinate (FeBG) added to the same oat-based cereal (WG-oat-FeBG). MethodsIn a prospective, single-blinded randomized crossover study, 6- to 14-mo-old Malawian children (n = 30) consumed 25-g servings of all 5 test meals containing 2.25 mg stable isotope-labeled iron and 13.5 mg ascorbic acid. Fractional iron absorption (FIA) was assessed by erythrocyte incorporation of isotopes after 14 d. Comparisons were made using linear mixed models. ResultsSeventy percent of the children were anemic and 67% were iron deficient. Geometric mean FIA percentages (–SD, +SD) from the cereals were as follows: 1) refined wheat, 12.1 (4.8, 30.6); 2) WG-wheat-lentil, 15.8 (6.6, 37.6); 3) WG-wheat-chickpeas, 12.8 (5.5, 29.8); and 4) WG-oat, 9.2 (3.9, 21.5) and 7.4 (2.9, 18.9) from WG-oat-FeBG. Meal predicted FIA (P ≤ 0.001), whereas in pairwise comparisons, only WG-oat-FeBG was significantly different compared with the refined wheat meal (P = 0.02). In addition, FIAs from WG-wheat-lentil and WG-wheat-chickpeas were significantly higher than from WG-oat (P = 0.002 and P = 0.04, respectively) and WG-oat-FeBG (P < 0.001 and P = 0.004, respectively). ConclusionIn Malawian children, when given with ascorbic acid at a molar ratio of 2:1, iron bioavailability from Fefum-fortified infant cereals containing WG wheat and pulses is ≈13−15%, whereas that from FeBG- and Fefum-fortified infant cereals based on WG oats is ≈7−9%.

Extruded Snacks from Rice, Green lentil, Chickpea and Tomato Powder Finished with Frying / Microwave Roasting

Extrudates were first prepared through extrusion-cooking and air-drying of different formulations obtained through a D-optimal Mixture Design containing blends of rice flour (RF), green lentil flour (GL), chickpeas flour (CP), and tomato powder (TP) in different proportions. These extrudates were subjected to deep oil frying (DOF) at 200⁰C or microwave roasting (MWR) at 75% power level (1000W oven) in order to develop desirable color and flavor characteristics. Physical properties including color (L*, a*, b*), expansion ratio (ER), breaking stress (BS) and antioxidant activity (AA) were evaluated, and the influence of product variables on output parameters was assessed. Increasing CP and GL in the formulations resulted in a decrease in the ER and an increase in the BS. However, the inclusion of CP and TP helped to produce snacks of golden yellow color and increased their overall acceptability. The addition of TP also improved the antioxidant activity of the resulting product. Both DOF and MWR resulted in a lower antioxidant activity; however, MWR led to more than 80% retention of the original antioxidants and higher sensory acceptability. ER and L* values had a strong positive correlation with the overall acceptability of products. The extrusion - air-drying - microwave roasting process produced healthy snacks with acceptable sensory quality, high protein (through added pulses), and enriched antioxidant (through added tomato powder) contents.