ABSTRACT

This study investigated the nutrient composition, functional and pasting properties of unripe plantain flour supplemented with fluted pumpkin seed flour. Unripe plantain fingers and fluted pumpkin seeds were processed into flours. The flour were formulated into five different proportions: 100:0, 95:5, 90:10, 85:15 and 80:20 unripe plantainfluted pumpkin seed flours. The formulated flours were subjected to proximate composition, mineral and vitamin contents, as well as function and pasting properties. The moisture, crude protein, crude fibre, fat, ash, and carbohydrate contents of the samples ranged from 7.64 to 8.07%, 3.71 to 10.13%, 2.38 to3.48%, 1.27 to 3.04%, 2.68 to 3.73%, 71.99 to 81.92% respectively. The calcium, potassium, iron and zinc contents ofthe sample ranged from 18.14 to 38.56 mg/100 g, 8.06 to 9.66 mg/100 g, 2.62 to 4.31 mg/100 g, 1.18 to 2.34 mg/100 g respectively. The vitamin A, vitamin Bi, B2, B3 contents ofthe flour sample ranged from 16.42 to 78.08 pg/100 g, 0.16 to 0.38 pg/100 g, 0.08 to 0.45 p.g/100 g, 1.31 to 3.92 pg/100 g respectively, while bulk density ranged from 0.42 to 0.56 g/ml, water absorption capacity ranged from 1.60 to 1.91 g/g, oil absorption capacity ranged from 1.57 to 1.81 g/g, foam capacity ranged from 4.12 to 14.40 %,swelling index ranged from 0.38 to 0..69 g/ml, gelatinization temperature ranged from 90.19 to 98.72 °C, pasting temperature ranged from 61.51 to 84.16 °C, peak viscosity ranged from 1.01 to 73.00 RVU, peak time ranged from 6.40 to 7.20 min, minimum viscosity ranged from 1.11 to 96.50 RVU, ultimate viscosity ranged from 1.17 to 75.50 RVU, attenuation value ranged from 1.00 to 6.00 RVU respectively. Overall, the composite flour demonstrated improved nutritional quality and promising functional and pasting properties, highlighting its potential in addressing protein-energy malnutrition and enhancing food product development in Nigeria and other developing countries. The study recommends the use offluted pumpkin seed flour as a supplement to unripe plantain to improve its nutritional and functional properties.