Physicochemical Properties of Breadfruit-Bambara Groundnut Flour Blends and Sensory Acceptability of Their Dumpling Dough

This study explored the possibility of producing flours from underutilized crops (breadfruit and bambara groundnut) that could replace relatively expensive tuber and cereal flours usually used to prepare dumpling dough, a favourite food item in Sub-sahara Africa. Flours were produced from breadfruit and bambara groundnut, the flours were mixed in the following proportion, 100%:0%; 90%:10%; 80%:20%; 70%:30% and 60%:40% respectively to produce five breadfruit-bambara groundnut flour blends. Functional and pasting properties of the flour blends were evaluated using standard methods. Each of the flour blends was made into dumpling dough and the sensory evaluation of the dough was carried out. Commercial whole wheat flour was used as control. The functional properties of the flour blends were: swelling power 5.1 – 6.2, water absorption capacity 5.2 – 6.4 ml/g, oil absorption capacity 1.2 – 2.6 ml/g, least gelation concentration 10.0 – 14.0%, dispersibility 57.0 – 69.0%, wetability 56.0 – 66.0 seconds, packed bulk density 0.55 – 0.66 g/ml and loose bulk density 0.32 – 0.34 g/ml. Pasting properties of the flour blends were significantly different; peak viscosity, hot paste viscosity, final viscosity and setback viscosity were in the range 468.0 – 1257.0 cP, 527.0 – 1241.0 cP, 608.0 – 2317.0 cP and 81.0 – 1076.0 cP respectively. Flour blend produced from 80% breadfruit flour and 20% bambara groundnut flour had exceptionally high pasting values. Variation in the functional and pasting properties of the flour blends could enhance their use in different food applications. The result of sensory evaluation of the dumpling dough produced showed that dough produced from 80% breadfruit flour and 20% bambara groundnut flour blend was the most preferred and it compared favourably with dumpling dough produced from the control. Keywords: Dumpling dough, functional properties, pasting properties, sensory acceptability DOI: 10.7176/FSQM/95-05 Publication date:March 31st 202