Wheat Flour Blends Research Articles

Amino Acid Profile, Mineral Bioavailability, and Sensory Properties of Biscuits Produced from Composite Blends of Wheat, Coconut and Defatted Fluted Pumpkin Seed Flour

The objective of this work was to produce biscuits from composite flour of wheat, coconut, and defatted fluted pumpkin seed and to evaluate the mineral bioavailability, amino acid profile and sensory properties of the composite biscuits. Wheat/coconut/defatted fluted pumpkin seed flours were blended in the ratio; 100/0/0, 80/10/10, 70/20/10, 60/30/10, 50/40/10, 40/50/10 and labelled as sample A, B, C, D, E and F respectively. Biscuits were baked with these composite flours using the creaming method. Lysine content ranged from 3.35-5.07g/100g, with sample F given significantly higher value followed by samples E (4.70g.100g) and D (4.33g/100g). All the essential amino acids increased significantly with increased substitution of coconut and fluted pumpkin seed flour, except phenyl-lanine and cysteine that decreased from 4.98 – 3.90 and 1.22 – 0.69g/100g respectively in sample A to E. Sample E gave higher total Ca, Fe, K and Zn of 26.89, 17.92, 86.02 and 2.82mg/100g respectively. Percentage bioavailability of Ca, Fe, Na, K and Zn were significantly higher in sample F with values of 59.67, 51.35, 58.22, 59.67 and 47.74% respectively. Sample E recorded the highest overall acceptability score of 6.38. This score was however not significantly different from scores obtained for samples A, B, C and D. Production of composite biscuits with 50/40/10% wheat/coconut/defatted fluted pumpkin seed flour is highly recommended.

Enhancing rheological performance of laminated dough with whole wheat flour by vital gluten addition

This work contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between the rheological performance of dough and puff pastry quality, considering the lack of literature in corresponding field. The aim was to examine the effect of vital gluten addition (1, 1.5, 2 g/100 g on flour weight) on the viscoelastic properties of the base dough (without roll-in fat) and laminated dough (with roll-in fat) using fundamental rheological methods. Vital gluten was added into the dough made from a blend of white and whole wheat flour (70:30) in order to enhance its rheological performance. The viscoelastic parameter Tan δ pointed to the dominant influence of the laminating process compared to the influence of vital gluten addition. Although the laminating process decreased the viscoelastic compliance of all dough samples, Jmax of the laminated dough with 1 g/100 g of vital gluten increased by 63.2% and the Newtonian viscosity decreased by 38.7%, compared to the control laminated dough. Good extensibility and adaptability to applied stress of the sample with 1 g/100 g of vital gluten resulted in the best quality of the puff pastry: increase in volume of about 20% and decrease in firmness of about 30% compared to other samples.

Technological Properties and Consumer Acceptability of Bakery Products Enriched with Brewers’ Spent Grains

Nowadays, brewers’ spent grains (BSG) is considered the most abundant and low-cost brewing by-products, presenting a great potential as a functional food ingredient. Since BSG is rich in dietary fiber and protein, it can be a raw material of interest in bakery products. However, blending wheat flour with BSG can affect dough rheology and the structural and sensorial properties of products. In this context, BSG flour at different levels (0%, 5%, and 10%) was used to enrich three commercial soft wheat flours, and to develop new formulations for bakery products (bread, breadsticks and pizza). As expected, the enrichment caused a significant increase of proteins, dietary fibers, lipids, and ash related to the BSG enrichment level. Significant changes in dough rheological properties (e.g., higher water absorption, lower development time and stability, dough strength, and tenacity) and in the color of the crust and crumbs of bakery products were also observed. At last, the consumer test pointed out that the 5% BSG enrichment showed the higher overall acceptability of proposed bakery products.

Thermal and pasting properties of Quinoa—Wheat flour blends and their effects on production of extruded instant noodles

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different levels of quinoa flour addition and feed moisture content on selected quality characteristics of instant noodles. Quinoa flour was blended with wheat flour at weight ratios of 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100 to prepare composite flours. Moreover, 25% potato starch was added to all blends to produce instant noodles. The thermal and pasting properties of flours, potato starch, and their blends were analyzed. Results indicated that the peak, breakdown, setback, and final viscosities were significantly lower and the pasting temperature was significantly higher in quinoa flour than in wheat flour. The water absorption values of the noodles were positively correlated with the quinoa content in the noodles, and the cooking loss was not affected by the quinoa ratio in the mixture. An increase in the ratio of quinoa flour increased the water absorption, hardness, and redness (a∗) values and decreased the cohesiveness and luminosity (L∗) values of instant noodles. The peak viscosity of the blends was negatively correlated with cohesiveness and springiness and positively correlated with water absorption and adhesiveness of the noodles. The total enthalpy of the blends showed moderate correlations with cooking quality and high correlations with textural properties.

Proximate Composition and Consumer Acceptability of Cookies Produced from Water Lily (Nymphaea lotus), Coconut (Cocos nucifera) and Wheat Flour (Triticum aestivum) Flour Composites

The use of wheat flour as a primary ingredient in baked products in tropical countries imposes huge financial strain on local economies, in that governments spend high currency to import wheat into the country due to the fact that it cannot be cultivated locally. The aim of the study was to evaluate the proximate composition and consumer acceptability of biscuits produced from a blend of wheat, water lily and coconut flour. Five different biscuit products were prepared from a composite of wheat, water lily and dried coconut flesh flours using traditional rubbing in method with little modification. The proximate composition of the biscuits was determined using AOAC official methods. Sensory quality characteristics of the biscuits were evaluated by a panel of 50 untrained consumers under the ‘hedonic scale’ measure of 1-9 score points. The data was entered into Statistical Package for Social Scientist (SPSS) version 20. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was carried out to establish effect of partial replacement of the wheat flour with the water lily and/ or dried coconut flesh at 95% confidence interval. The results of proximate composition of the various flour indicated increasing level of protein (g/100 g) , fat (g/100 g) and crude fibre (g/100 g) were 4.41 ± 0.22 to 16.73 ± 0.76, 6.47 ± 0.16 to 19.16 ± 0.16 and 12.54 ± 0.07 to 13.52 ± 0.04, respectively while there was decrease in levels of moisture (g/100 g), ash (g/100 g) and carbohydrate (g/100 g) as the proportion of the composite flour increased; 7.91 ± 0.03 to 10.30 ± 0.21, 0.90 ± 0.10to 4.28 ± 0.24 and 40.89 ± 1.22 to 61.99 ± 0.35, respectively. Sensory evaluation of the biscuits showed a significant difference (p<0.05) among the products. Biscuit sample XYZ (80% wheat, 12% water lily and 8% coconut) was preferred in terms of the overall acceptability.

Sensory and physicochemical properties of whole wheat salted noodles under different preparations of bran

Whole wheat products have gained popularity in recent years due to the health and nutritional benefits, with Asian salted noodles as one formulation. However, there is a general perception of decreased product quality and sensory acceptance of whole wheat noodles This study examined changes to sensory properties, texture (tensile and compressive strength), color, and cooking loss of noodles prepared from blends of wheat flour and bran that underwent five forms of hydro, thermal, pressure and their combined treatments: autoclaving, extrusion, jet-cooking, puffing, and roasting. Including the control (bran without processing) all six treatments were deemed palatable by sensory panel evaluation despite having statistically significant differences in physiochemical and sensory properties. For instance, 10 of the 22 sensory properties demonstrated significant differences among treatments. Bran processing tended to result in weaker (tensile and compressive strength) and stickier noodles while allowing for greater uptake of water during cooking.

Properties of dehydrated cassava puree and wheat flour blends and its relationship with the texture of doughs

A growing interest in promoting the use of local sources of flour for the partial replacement of wheat flour is observed. Dehydrated cassava puree (DCP) is obtained by cooking, mashing, and drying the cassava roots. The objective was to evaluate the physicochemical and functional properties of DCP and its influence on the texture of unfermented doughs. Four blends with different proportions of wheat flour and DCP were used. The physical and functional properties of the blends were correlated (p < 0.05) with the results of TPA, forward extrusion, compression, and extensibility tests carried out with the TA. XT-plus texture analyzer. The DCP doughs presented higher consistency, cohesiveness, elasticity, resilience, hardness, and gumminess than wheat flour dough. Those textural parameters were correlated (>0.90) with properties such as average particle size and water absorption. The use of DCP for dough production is viable, and its texture characteristics are suitable for industrial processes.

Glycemic response of chapati (Indian flat bread) developed from cereal pulse blends

The study was conducted to develop culturally acceptable low glycemic chapati (Indian flat bread) for diabetic patients. The acceptability, nutritional composition and glycemic index (GI) of the developed chapati were assessed. Oat, barley, soybean and chickpea flour were incorporated into the whole wheat flour, by using ten different flour combinations. The developed chapati was compared with corresponding control chapatti. The overall acceptability of chapati prepared form the blend of whole wheat flour with soybean (75 and 25%) and with whole wheat flour, barley and soybean in the proportion of 50, 25 and 25% was significantly (p

The use of red lentil flour in bakery products: How do particle size and substitution level affect rheological properties of wheat bread dough?

Inclusion of pulses flour in bread formulation has important nutritional effects but its successful implementation is challenging and requires a good understanding of the effect of flour functionality, granulometry and substitution level on bread quality. Accordingly, this work studied red lentil flour and its dimensional fractions (coarse, medium, fine, extra-fine), considering compositional, morphological, functional, and thermal properties. Additionally, the effect of substituting wheat flour with lentil flour and its fractions at different levels (0, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30% [w/w] flour basis) on dough rheology was studied using a Mixolab device, to predict bread quality. Although flour's properties were significantly affected by particle size, multivariate statistics suggested that the substitution level was the major factor affecting rheological properties of doughs made with blends of wheat and lentil flours. A 10% substitution level of wheat flour by lentil flour provides optimum rheological properties regardless of lentil flour particle size, while at higher substitution level (15–30%), a coarse fraction can provide higher performance compared to unfractionated flour and finer fractions. The results of this study pose an important base to intelligently develop wheat-lentil bread applications in the future.

Evaluation of Pasting Properties of Whole Wheat and Whole Green Plantain Flour Blends and Quality Characteristics of Crackers Made from the Blends

The demand for food products with functional attributes is on the increase worldwide. The present study was aimed at evaluating the effect of supplementing whole wheat flour with 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50% whole green plantain flour on pasting properties of the flour blends, proximate composition, minerals and sensory characteristics of crackers made from the blends. The 100% whole wheat flour served as the control sample. The result showed that the peak viscosity (PV), trough viscosity (TV), breakdown viscosity (BDV), final viscosity (FV) and setback viscosity (SBV) were significantly affected by the level of plantain flour substitution. The 20% plantain flour substitution level recorded the minimum PV (264.00RVU), TV (248.00RVU), FV (531.00RVU) and SBV (263.00RVU) while the 50% plantain flour substituted blend recorded the highest PV (362.00RVU), TV (328.00RVU) and FV (603.00RVU). The control sample recorded the highest SBV (312.00RVU) and least BDV (3.00RVU). The peak times for all the blended samples were the same (7 min) while the time for the control sample was 5 min. There was insignificant difference (P&gt;0.05) in the pasting temperature which ranged from 91.30 – 92.80oC. The crude protein, fat and calcium contents progressively decreased while the ash, crude fibre, carbohydrate, K, Mg, Fe and Zn contents in the prepared crackers progressively increased with increase in the proportion of plantain flour substitution. Cracker prepared from the blend of 80% whole wheat and 20% whole green plantain flours was the most preferred by the sensory evaluation panellists in terms of taste, texture and overall acceptability. It is evident from the study that acceptable crackers of enhanced nutritive value could be produced from blend of 80% whole wheat and 20% whole green plantain flours. The use of flour from unpeeled plantain as ingredient in cracker production would eliminate waste generation and its associated environmental problems.

Retracted:Physicochemical, functional, and nutritional evaluation of wheat and cocoyam flour blends

Wheat and cocoyam flours were mixed at different ratios and the flour blends were evaluated. 70:30 blend had significant (p < .05) higher protein, fat, and crude fiber content compared to the other blends (50:50 and 40:60). Water absorption, bulk density, and swelling power were significantly (p < .05) higher in wheat and cocoyam flours mixed ratios at 50:50 and 40:60 compared to 70:30. The 70:30 wheat and cocoyam flours had a significant low pasting viscosity compared to other blend ratios (50:50 and 40:60).The thermal properties of all the samples showed two endothermic peaks “a” with the temperature ranging from 60.0 to 64.2°C and endothermic peak “b” with a temperature between 102.2 and 104.3°C. The amino acid profile of the wheat and cocoyam flours competed favorably with wheat flour and had the least peroxide values. The addition of cocoyam improved the nutritional, functional, and pasting properties of wheat flour. Practical applications Wheat flour is used as an important food ingredient that is usually used in the bakery and confectionary industry contributing more calories and proteins to the world eating routine. Due to a few countries in Africa having a suitable climatic condition to support its cultivation, crucial demand to find alternative crops that can substitute wheat are being made to reduce the dependency on wheat importation. Cocoyam is an important staple nourishment and its utilization as substitute food applications is still on a small scale across numerous nations in the world. The physicochemical, functional, and nutritional properties of wheat and cocoyam flour blends were evaluated in the present study. Our results found that wheat and cocoyam flour blends at 40:60 and 70:30 exhibited increased protein quality, water absorption, and swelling power and low pasting viscosity when compared to the other blends. Thus, wheat and cocoyam flour blends at 40:60 and 70:30 can be a raw material for the food industry to improve the nutrition and functionality of products effectively.

Amino Acid Profile/Score and In-vitro Protein Digestibility of Biscuits Produced from Wheat Flour, African Breadfruit Flour and Moringa Seed Flour Blends

The objective of this work was to evaluate the Amino Acid profile/score and In-vitro protein digestibility of composite biscuits produced from blends of Wheat flour (WHF), African breadfruit flour (ABF)and Moringa seed flour(MSF) at the following ratios (Sample A: WHF 100%: ABF 0; MSF 0, B= WHF 77.5%:ABF 20%: MSF 2.5%, C=WHF 75%: ABF 20%: MSF 5.0%, D= WHF 72.5%: ABF 20%: MSF 7.5%. E = WHF 70%: ABF 20%: MSF 10%, F = WHF 90%: ABF 0: MSF 10%, G = WHF 80%: ABF 20%: MSF 0). The most predominant Amino Acid in ABF was glutamic (12.27 g/100 g) followed by Aspartic and lysine, with values of 8.96 g/100 g and 6.55 g/100 g, respectively. Glutamic Acid content of the biscuits ranged from 10.96 g/100 g – 12.96 g/100 g, with sample B giving significantly higher value. Substitution with MSF resulted in decreasing glutamic acid content levels in the formulated biscuits, while lysine, phenylalanine and Isoleucine improved with the addition of 10% Moringa seed flour. Amino acid Scores of the biscuits using Hen egg as standard showed that whole egg had a higher amino acid score except glycine (1.04 – 1.25). Percentage In-vitro protein digestibility ranged from 10.64% - 47.33%, showing that addition of moringa seed flour and African breadfruit flour improved digestibility values from 10.64% to 47.33% for sample E with the control sample (wheat flour biscuit) being significantly lower. Substitution with ABF and MSF improved protein digestibility of the produced biscuits. Also, the Amino acid scores of the formulated biscuits were higher than the FAO recommended daily dietary requirements for Amino acids.

The Effects of Watermelon Rind Flour on the Functional and Proximate Properties of Wheat Bread

The present study was undertaken to develop bread from composite flours. Composite flours were prepared by blending wheat flour with watermelon rind flour in ratios of 100:0 (AB1), 90:10 (AB2), 80:20 (AB3), 70:30 (AB4) and 60:40 (AB5), respectively. This study was carried out to ascertain the effects of watermelon rind flour at different replacement levels (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%) on the proximate and functional properties of composite wheat bread. The results of proximate properties determination on wheat/flour blend gave low bulk densities of 0.54g/cm3 to 0.60g/cm3, high water absorption capacity of 2.389 to 3.044 g/g as well as a high swelling capacity of 5.764 to 7.610 g/g and a low oil absorption capacity of 1.608 to 2.150 g/g. The results of proximate composition of composite bread revealed an increase in % protein, % carbohydrate and % ash from 15.7% to 18.8%, 47.1% to 52.0% and 0.6% to 1.2% respectively and a subsequent decrease in % fat from 18.4% to 13.8. There was a reduction in energy density for composite bread. The functional properties of composite flours such as swelling capacity, water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity and bulk density were increased with increase in the incorporation of watermelon rind flour with wheat flour. Thus, the results indicate that by incorporating watermelon rind flour, it is possible to enhance the nutritional quality, chemical and functional properties of bread.

Proximate Composition, Sensory Properties and Microbial Quality of Chin-chin Developed from Wheat and African Walnut Flour Blends for Household Food Security

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the proximate composition, sensory properties and microbial quality of chin-chin developed from wheat and African walnut flour blends as a means of achieving household food security.&#x0D; Methodology: African walnut was processed into flour. Chin-chin was prepared from blends of wheat and African walnut flours using 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50 of wheat flour to African walnut flour (AWF), and 100% wheat flour as control. Samples were subjected to sensory evaluation within 30 min of production. Proximate analysis was carried out using standard methods. The samples were also stored for 3 weeks and evaluated at weekly intervals for total bacterial and fungal counts.&#x0D; Results: composition of the chin-chin revealed a significant (p&lt;0.05) increase in ash (0.42-1.38%), fat (34.39-40.03%), crude protein (5.53-7.95% protein), crude fibre (0.98-1.86%), and energy contents (402.65-414.08kcal) with a decrease in moisture (3.31-4.85%) and carbohydrate (45.59-53.84%) . Sensory analysis of the chin-chin showed that the control chin-chin was more preferred than all other samples. This was followed closely by chin-chin substituted with 10% African walnut flour having mean scores above 6 for all sensory attributes. Total bacterial counts (TBCs) and fungal counts (TFCs) of the chin-chin samples were observed to increase during storage. TBCs and TFCs of chin-chin samples after 3 weeks of storage ranged from 6.00×103-8.50×103cfu/g and 6.80×103-8.00×103cfu/g, respectively. The samples presented adequate microbiological conditions and were within recommended safe limit of microbial guidelines.&#x0D; Conclusion: The findings of the study showed that chin-chin of acceptable sensory attributes and improved nutritional content could be produced with up to 10% African walnut flour (AWF) level. In effect, chin-chin substituted with African walnut flour can be consumed by households thereby improving their nutritional status and eradicating food insecurity and malnutrition which is common among households.

Quality Evaluation of Cookies Produced from Wheat, Sorghum and Defatted Coconut Flour Blends

The use of wheat, sorghum and defatted coconut flour blends in the production of whole meal cookies was investigated with the aim of encouraging the use of sorghum and coconut flour in producing value-added products. Enriched cookies were produced from the blends of wheat flour (WF) and sorghum flour (SF) in varying proportions of 100:0, 90:5, 85:10, 80:15, 75:20, 70:25, 65:30, 60:35 with 5% of defatted coconut flour (CF) added to each sample and were labelled AMUS, BMUS, CMUS, DMUS, EMUS, FMUS, GMUS, HMUS respectively. Cookies with 100% wheat flour (AMUS) served as a reference sample. The proximate, physical, mineral and sensory properties of the cookies samples were examined using standard laboratory procedures. The proximate results of the cookies showed that protein, ash, fat, crudefibre, moisture and Carbohydrate ranged from (9.18–12.25%), (0.88–1.15%), (9.59–11.19%), (2.77–3.74%), (7.10–10.89%) and (64.20–66.71%) respectively. The physical characteristics of the cookies; weight (9.69–18.20 g), diameter (272.0–333.0 mm), thickness (7.72–11.40 mm), spread ratio (23.87–41.09) differed significantly (p &lt; 0.05). However, the sensory results showed that the cookies varied in colour (6.85–7.80), taste (6.90–8.15), aroma (7.10–7.75), crispness (6.65–7.75) and overall acceptability (7.25–8.45). The reference sample had the highest sensory scores for all the attributes except for aroma and crispiness, while cookies with 15% sorghum flour (SF) and 5% defatted coconut flour (CF) incorporation had highest score for crispness and 30% sorghum had highest score for aroma respectively. Based on the parameters evaluated 15% sorghum flour and 5% defatted coconut flour incorporation could be utilized for cookies production owing to its baking potential abilities. However, the high protein, ash and fibre contents of the cookies made with sorghum and defatted coconut flour substitution is very important as this could make a great contribution to the nutrient intake by consumers.

Utilization of Soursop (Annona muricta) Flour for the Production of Chin-Chin

The present study was aimed at utilizing soursop flour for the production of chin-chin. Soursop (SS) was processed to flour. Chin-chin was prepared from blends of wheat and soursop flours using 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50 of wheat flour to soursop flour (SSF), and 100% wheat flour as control. Proximate and sensory analysis of the chin-chin was determined using standard methods. The samples were also stored for 3 weeks and evaluated at weekly intervals for total bacterial and fungal counts. Proximate composition of the chin-chin revealed a significant (p&lt;0.05) increase in ash (0.42-0.96%), fat (33.31-39.29%), crude protein (5.32-7.94% protein), crude fibre (0.95-1.12%), and moisture content (4.85-7.65%) with a decrease in carbohydrate content (55.14-42.94%) as substitution of soursop flour increased. Energy content decreased as substitution of soursop flour increased, but beyond 30%, level, the energy content was observed to increase significantly. Substitution of soursop flour with wheat flour at the level of 10% compared favorably with the control sample suggesting that acceptable chin-chin could be produced at SSF substitution of up to 10%. The samples presented adequate microbiological conditions after storage of 3 weeks with counts ranging from 5.20×103-7.00×104cfu/g and 4.00×104-6.00×104cfu/g, for total bacterial and fungal counts, respectively. The study therefore showed that soursop can be utilized for the development of chin-chin with improved nutritional value over 100% wheat flour thereby serving as a nutritious household food which will help address the problem of protein-energy malnutrition.

Physicochemical properties, fatty acid composition, cooking quality, and sensory evaluation of pasta enriched with different oleiferous powders

The aim of this study was to investigate the addition of oleiferous powders to the pasta formulation by replacing a percentage of the wheat flour and semolina blends. In addition, the effect of oleiferous powders on the physicochemical and sensorial properties, and cooking quality of the pasta samples was also determined in this study. The oleiferous powders were added to the pasta formulations at the replacement ratio of 20% (10% of the wheat flour and 10% of the semolina blends) of the total weight of the wheat flour and semolina blends. The results showed that the addition of different oleiferous powders to the pasta formulation resulted in a significant increase in the browning and yellowness index values, ash, fat, protein and phenolic contents, total energy, antioxidant activity, and optimal cooking time, whereas, the addition of the oleiferous powders, resulted in a significant decrease in the moisture and total carbohydrate contents, swelling volume, and weight gain (p < 0.05). The main polyunsaturated fatty acid was linoleic acid in all the samples. The highest overall acceptability rating was obtained for the pasta enriched with hazelnut powder (p < 0.05).

Red bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.): Optimization of drying conditions and preparation of functional bread.

The aim of this study was to optimize the drying conditions (pretreatments and drying temperatures) of red bell pepper to obtain red bell pepper powder (RBP) with maximum bioactive retention and assess its potential use as a functional ingredient in bread. The RBP pretreated (blanching + dipping in ascorbic and citric acid solution) and dried at 60°C retained the highest bioactive compounds. Wheat flour blends were prepared with RBP at 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% level of incorporation and among hydration properties, water absorption increased with increasing levels. The prepared breads were assayed for physical, nutritional, bioactive, and sensory characteristics. Bread supplementation with RBP improves its color, mineral, fiber, and bioactive properties. However, the texture of bread becomes hard with the increased level of RBP due to a decrease in specific volume. The significant increment was recorded for bioactive compounds, such as total phenols, antioxidant activity, flavonoids, and carotenoids as the level of powder increased. Bread enriched with 6% RBP showed highest sensory scores (8.45) and index of acceptability (87.83%) as compared to other breads. Thus, RBP acts as a valuable supplement for developing bread with improved nutritional and bioactive constituents. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study describes the effect of different pretreatments and drying temperatures for processing of RBP as a functional ingredient in bread, being a staple food around the world. RBP powder is a novel ingredient that improved the nutritional, bioactive, and appearance of bread. Hence, it will be helpful in the utilization of perishable crops like bell pepper and will demonstrate its commercial viability to improve the nutritive value of bakery products.

Evaluation of Quality and Sensory Characteristics of Spaghetti made from Plantain and Wheat Flour blends

The world is tending towards fortification of cereal, root and tubers food products to increase and enhance its macro and micronutrients content for her teaming population. This study investigated the quality and sensory evaluation of spaghetti produced from plantain and wheat flour blends. The dried plantain chips were milled, sieved to pass through sieve number 60 BS and blends with wheat flour at levels of 100:00%, 85:15%, 80:20%, 75:25%, 70:30%, respectively. The five samples formulated were analyzed for nutritional properties and sensory attributes using a 9-point hedonic scale of preference. All data were subjected to analysis of variance while significant differences were determined at p&lt;0.05, while Duncan multiple range test was used to separate the mean. The study finding shows that nutritionally improved spaghetti products could be produced from mixture of plantain and wheat flour within the range of 15% - 25% wheat flour substitution. The mineral profiles of the study show improvement in quality and quantity compare to the control sample. However, iron, sodium and zinc content of the spaghetti samples were far below recommended daily allowance, hence there is need to supplement such food with fruit- vegetables. The high mean score obtained for the overall acceptability showed that the plantain-based spaghetti samples were accepted by the panellists. Sample with 20% wheat flour substitution level had the highest mean score (6.77) than other wheat flour substituted samples. This might be the perfect blend to make spaghetti from plantainwheat flour blends.

Proximate composition, sensory properties and microbiological status of granola substituted with soursop flour (Annona muricta) for household consumption

This study was undertaken to investigate the proximate composition, sensory properties and microbiological status of granola substituted with soursop flour for household consumption. Matured soursop fruits were processed into flour. Granola was prepared from blends of wheat and soursop flours using 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50 of wheat flour to soursop flour (SSF), and 100% wheat flour as control. Samples were subjected to sensory evaluation within 30 minutes of production. Proximate analysis was carried out using standard methods. The samples were also stored for 3 weeks and evaluated at weekly intervals for total bacterial and fungal counts. Proximate analysis revealed an increase in moisture (5.21 to 7.22%), ash (1.25 to 1.79%), protein (9.56 to 12.62%), crude fibre (0.83 to 1.21%) and energy contents (418.64 to 422.22kcal) with decrease in fat (14.13 to 12.09%) and carbohydrate contents (69.02 to 65.07%) as substitution of wheat flour with soursop flour increased. Sensory analysis showed that colour, taste, texture and overall acceptability of the control granola were more preferred. Colour of control granola and sample substituted with 20% SSF were significantly (p&lt;0.05) similar. Similarly, texture and overall acceptability of control granola and samples substituted with 10, 20 and 30% SSF were significantly (p&lt;0.05) similar suggesting that wheat flour can be substituted with soursop flour at levels up to 30% for the preparation of granola. During storage, total bacterial counts (TBCs) and fungal counts (TFCs) were observed to increase for all granola samples. TBCs and TFCs of granola samples after 3 weeks of storage ranged from 6.00×103 to 7.00×103cfu/g and 5.00×104 to 5.20×104cfu/g, respectively. The samples presented adequate microbiological conditions and were within recommended safe limit of microbial guidelines. The findings of this study therefore show that soursop can be utilized in the preparation of granola with improved nutritional value over wheat flour thereby reducing wastage associated with soursop fruits.