International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition

Authors
Ojinnaka MC, Okolie PI, Idorenyin BA

Abstract
The suitability of biscuit production from six flour blends of wheat, plantain, and aerial yam was investigated. The biscuit samples from the composite flour blends were subjected to proximate, minerals, anti-nutrient and functional properties determination. Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance, and mean values were separated using Duncan’s multiple range test. The results obtained indicated that for proximate composition, the product ranged from 7.24% to 10.65% moisture, 1.43% to 2.61% ash, 2.21% to 3.56% fat, 1.74% to 2.12% fiber, 10.26% to 12.02% protein and 70.49% to 75.23% carbohydrate. Mineral content of the samples ranging from 4.46mg/100g to 5.96mg/100g iron, 360.50mg/100g to 400.50mg/100g potassium, 137.50mg/100g to 152.10mg/100g magnesium, and 3.21mg/100g to 6.57mg/100g sodium. Residual anti-nutrients in the biscuit samples ranged from 0.09 to 0.33mg/100g saponin, 0.06 to 1.14 mg/100g alkaloids, 0.24 to 0.47 mg/100g phenol, and 0.18 to 0.37 mg/100g tannin. The functional properties of the composite flour blends showed some significant (p≤0.05) difference when compared to wheat flour. The bulk density (0.57 – 0.85g/cm³) of the composite flour blends increased as the rate of addition of plantain and aerial yam flour progressed.