Production and evaluation of cold extruded and baked ready-to-eat snacks from blends of breadfruit (Treculia africana), cashewnut (Anacardium occidentale) and coconut (Cocos nucifera)

Abstract

Five samples of ready-to-eat (RTE) snacks were produced by cold extrusion, baking (150oC for 30 minutes) and drying (50oC for 15 minutes) from blends of breadfruit, cashew nut, whole and defatted coconut along with other ingredients. The snacks were subjected to physical, chemical and sensory analyses. The results revealed the following ranges: physical properties (bulk density 0.32 to 0.51g/cm3, apparent density 0.37 to 0.49g/cm3, porosity -6.08 to 0.28g/cm3 and lateral expansion 16% to 22%); proximate parameters (moisture 1.33 to 3.08%, ash 1.97 to 2.05%, crude fibre 0.32 to 1.47%, crude protein 13.45 to 15.90%, crude fat 13.37 to 21.50% and carbohydrate 62.27 to 66.49%) and  micronutrients (vitamin B 0.202 to 0.501mg/100g, vitamin B1 0.130 to 0.423mg/100g, vitamin B2 0.014 to 0.114mg/100g, vitamin B3 0.157 to 0.477mg/100g and iron 2.61 to 5.86mg/100g). Sensory evaluation revealed that highly acceptable nutrient dense snacks were produced from blends of breadfruit, cashewnut, and defatted coconut.  Keywords: Physical properties, Proximate composition, Micronutrients, Sensory properties