Chemical, functional and organoleptic evaluation of african breadfruit (Treculia africana Decne) kernel flour for making cookies

Abstract

African breadfruit (Treculia africana Decne) seeds were parboiled and their kernels dried and milled into flour. The flour was packed in two different materials and stored under ambient (30 ±  2°C) conditions for 5 months. Chemical junctional and organoleptic properties of the flour before and during storage were evaluated. Cookies were made with the flour in addition to wheat flour. Results showed that parboiling for 15 min did not adversely affect the vitamin C and total carotenoids contents of the kernel. Other nutritional components - protein, oil, ash andfibre of the kernels were not deleteriously affected by parboiling. Within 2 months of storage, 20-28% vitamin C and 13-17% and total carotenoids were lost whereas after 5 months, 48-50% and 36-44% of vitamin C and carotenoids were lost, respectively. There was significant difference (P < 0.05) between the rate of depletion of vitamin C and carotenoids. During storage of the flour, apart from its bulk density and swelling index other junctional properties (foam stability, emulation activity, nitrogen solubility) changed irrespective of the packaging material. However, the flour could store for 2 months under ambient (30 ± 2°C) conditions without adverse changes in quality. Cookies made from composite of the breadfruit and wheat flours were acceptable to consumers. The bread fruit has food potentials.

Keywords: African breadfruit seeds, parboiling, kernel flour, storave, vitamin C, total carotenoids, function properties, cookie

Tanzania J. Agric. Sc. (2000) Vol. 3 No. 1, 31-38