Quality Assessment of Biscuit made from Blend of Wheat and Baobab Leaf Powder

Abstract

Biscuit is a nutritive snack produced from unpalatable batter transformed into appetizing product by oven heat. Wheat flour, the major raw material for biscuit production, is deficient in lysine, an essential amino acid. Baobab leaf is rich nutritionally and high in antioxidant properties. Baobab leaf flower was blended with wheat flour to produce biscuits rich in nutrients. Wheat and Baobab flours were respectively blended thus: A (100:0); B (98:2); C (96: 4); D (94: 6); E (92: 8); F (90: 10), and mixed with other ingredients for production at 175-180oC for 15-20 minutes, cooled and packaged. The functional properties of the flour, proximate composition, colour, microbial and sensory evaluation were determined using standard methods. Result showed baobab leaf flour to be highly functional, while the Protein, Moisture-Content, Ash, Crude-Fat, Crude-Fibre and Carbohydrate respectively ranged thus: (10.50-12.11%), (2.51-3.28%), (1.38-2.96%), (10.31-12.27%), (1.07-2.16%), and (67.99-73.46%). Addition of baobab leaf flour at 10% level slightly affected the biscuit colour, but the microbial load of the samples with baobab leaf flour was low probably due to the antiviral and antibacterial properties of the leaf. The sensory panelists accepted the samples with baobab leaf flour. Incorporating baobab leaf flour into biscuits production improved nutritional content, quality and prevent malnutrition among consumers.