Comparison Of Quality Characteristics Of Selected Bread Samples Consumed In Umuahia Metropolis, Abia State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the proximate composition, minerals and anti-nutritional contents as well as sensory properties of some selected brands of bread sold in Umuahia metropolis of Abia state were determined using standard methods of analysis. Fresh loaves/slices often of the most popular brands of bread were purchased and used for the study. The samples were labeled from Bi to BIO. The proximate composition had values ranging from 22.67-38.16% (moisture), 6.65-9.45% (crude protein), 0.26-0.66% (crude fat), 1.24-1.76% (crude fibre), 1.26-1.86% (ash) and 49.20-65.69% (carbohydrate). The values for the mineral content of the bread samples ranged between 0.37 and 0.65mg/100g, 0.14 and 0.17%, 0.14 and 0.27%, 0.11 and 0.24% and 1.38 and 1.97mg/100g for the phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, calcium and zinc respectively. Sensory evaluation showed that sample B8 was most preferred by the panellists. The anti-nutritional values for the bread samples ranged from 0.66 to 0.95%, 87.78 to 125.40mg/100g and 2.02 to 3.03mg/100g for the oxalate, tannin and phytate contents respectively. The bread samples were observed to be bromate free. All the bread samples were found to be very rich in macro-and micro-nutrients.