Production And Evaluation Of Gluten-Free Biscuit From Blend Of Unripe Plantain (Musa Paradiasca) And Tigernut (Cyperus Esculentus) Flours:- Ilechukwu, Stephen U

ABSTRACT

 Biscuits were produced using unripe plantain and tigemut flour blends at different levels; 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50 and 100% wheat as the control sample. Six biscuit recipes were formulated, prepared into dough and baked into biscuit. The flour blends were assessed for their functional properties while the biscuits were analyzed for proximate, mineral, physical, and sensory qualities. Functional properties ranged from 0.67 to 0.78 g/mL, 1.72 to 1.82 g/ml, 4.25 to 12.06 g/ml, and 22.02 to 28.03 g/ml, for bulk density, water absorption capacity, foaming capacity and foaming stability respectively. Proximate composition ranged from 5.77 to 8.38% for moisture content, protein content ranged from 5.22 to 10.87%, crude fat content ranged from 15.96 to 22.78%, crude fibre content ranged from 1,62 to 7.44%, ash content ranged from 1.60 to 3.18%, carbohydrate content ranged from 54.77 to 67.83% and energy value ranged from 412.48 to 529.02 kcal. The mineral content ranged from 5.07 to 18.07mg/100 g for calcium content, 3.28 to 4.66 mg/100 g for potassium content, 0.04 to 1.93 mg/100 g for magnesium content, 8.14 to 10.49 mg/100 g for iron content, 0.13 to 0.63 mg/100 g for sodium content, 4.03 to 5.59 mg/100 g for phosphorous content and 1.13 to 1.55 mg/lOOg for zinc content respectively. In terms of physical properties, the weight of the biscuit samples ranged from 10.46 to 19.83 g, thickness of biscuit samples ranged from 6.30 to 7.62 mm, diameter ranged from 50.05 to 53.29 mm, and spread ratio ranged from 6.99 to 7.95. Organoleptically, biscuit samples produced from 90% unripe plantain flour: 10% tigernut flour was rated highest (7.60) among the samples with respect to general acceptability, followed by 60% unripe plantain flour: 40% tigemut flour with a rating of 7.35.