EVALUATION OF THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES F COMPOSITE BREAD PRODUCED FROM WHEAT, CASSAVA AND BAMBOO SHOOT FLOURS

Abstract

The need to combat food insecurity and malnutrition has seen industries focus on enriching indigenous staple foods with locally available nutritious underutilised food crops. Bamboo shoot (BS) has drawn significant global interest owing to its high nutritional content and health promoting compounds. This study evaluated the rheological properties of composite flours, and physico-chemical properties of composite bread of wheat, cassava and BS. Five levels of BS; 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10% were substituted for wheat-cassava (80:20 respectively) where the control was 80:20 wheat-cassava. The flours were analysed for proximate composition, normal falling number and stability. Loaf samples were baked from the formulated composites and analysed for its nutritional composition and physical properties. The study found out that the proximate components of the blended breads increased with increased BS substitution. Composite flour with 10% BS had the highest total mineral, crude fibre and protein at 4.51%, 5.26% and 26.41% respectively. Bread made from 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10% BS flour had significantly different (P<0.05) physical properties (loaf volume, density and specific volume) from control.  However, 0% and 2.5% BS flour had no significant difference in terms of Browning Index (BI). Water absorption increased with increase in BS substitution while there was a reduction of 16.8% in normal falling number. Results of this study show that BS flour can be blended with wheat-cassava composites to improve nutritional value and BS utilization