QUALITY EVALUATION OF HARD DOUGH BISCUIT PRODUCED FROM FERMENTED BAMBARA GROUNDNUT TEMPEH AND WHEAT FLOUR MIXES

There is growing interest in fortifying wheat flour with high lysine material, such as bambara groundnut flour, to improve the essential amino acid balance of baked food products. Bambara groundnut is not adequately utilized in Nigeria. In this study, wheat flour in a standard biscuit formulation was partially or fully substituted with fermented bambara groundnut tempeh flour at six levels: 0%, 5%, 10%, 25%, 40% and 100%. The composite flours were analyzed for physic-chemical properties such as pH, water absorption capacity, bulk density, pasting characteristics and reconstitution index. Biscuit samples were them evaluated for chemical composition, texture, microbial characteristics and sensory properties. Increasing levels of fermented bambara tempeh flour in the mix resulted in changed flour characteristics. Incorporation of fermented bambara tempeh flour exerted positive influence on the nutritional status of the resultant biscuit products based on the level of substitution. Sensory evaluation tests revealed that biscuit sample prepared form wheat flour substituted with 5% fermented bambara groundnut tempeh flour consistently had the highest rating in terms of all the quality attributes assessed. Biscuit that closely followed this was that from pure wheat flour while rating for other samples gradually decreased with increasing level of substitution with bambara groundnut tempeh flour. All the biscuit samples were however acceptable though at varying degrees depending on the level of bambara flour incorporation

Oleoresins from Capsicum spp.: Extraction Methods and Bioactivity

Capsicum spp. fruit is one of the most produced vegetables around the world, and it is consumed both as fresh vegetable and as a spice like a food additive for their characteristic red color and, in many cases, its pungency. In addition to its economic importance, the bioactivity of some important compounds such as capsaicinoids and carotenoids has promoted its research. The use of Capsicum oleoresins has been increased due to its advantages comparing with the traditional dry spice. These include obtaining higher quality products with the desired content of bioactive and flavored substances. The wide diversity of extraction methods including water extraction, organic solvent extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and ultrasound assisted extraction as well as supercritical fluid extraction among others are discussed in the present review. Moreover, pretreatments such as chemical treatments, osmotic dehydration, sun and oven drying, and freeze-drying commonly used before the extraction are also presented. Due to its importance, Capsicum oleoresins produced with “green” solvents and the improvement of fractional extraction techniques that allow to obtain separately the various bioactive fractions will continue under research for further development