Physicochemical Evaluation and Pasting Properties of Flours, Biscuit and Chinchin Prepared from Okara Fortified Plantain – Sorghum Blends.

Abstract

This study evaluated the quality of biscuits and chin-chin made from okara enriched plantain-sorghum flour blends. The flours of plantain(P), Sorghum (S) and Okara (O) blended in per cent ratios: T1 (100 plantain :0 sorghum); T2 (75 plantain:25 sorghum); T3 (50 plantain:50 sorghum); T4(25 plantain: 75 sorghum); T5 (0 plantain: 100 sorghum:); 5 % okara flour was added to 95 % of each plantain – sorghum flour blend to give samples T6 to T10. Standard analytical procedures were utilized to analyse the flours' proximate composition, energy, functional properties and pasting properties, and sensory attributes of the biscuit and chin-chin were also analysed. The proximate composition results of composite flour, biscuit and chin-chin showed that sample T1 possessed the lowest moisture and fat content and the highest carbohydrate. Sample T10 has the highest protein content, sample T6 has the highest ash and fibre content, and sample T8 has the highest energy value. Substantial variation occurred in functional properties: sample T10 has the highest values of the bulk density, water and oil absorption capacities and the least value in sample T1. Swelling power and solubility index show no significant difference having sample T10 with the highest value and sample T1 having the least value, and foaming stability varied significantly between the samples, with T6 possessing the maximum value and the minimum observed in T10. This study showed that the nutritional results qualities of the biscuit and chin-chin produced from plantain-sorghum composite flour are enhanced by fortification with okara.