Sensory Attributes And Micronutrients Content Of Bread Produced From Flour Blends Of Wheat And Unripe Banana:- Cihma, Patricia A

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the micronutrient and sensory attributes of bread using wheat and unripe banana flour. The wheat and banana flours were blended together on percent dry weight basis into six ratios of 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50 with 100:0 whole wheat flour serving as the control to determine their effects on the nutritional composition and sensory characteristics of the bread. Standard procedures were used to analyze the mineral and vitamin contents, while sensory evaluation was carried out by a panel oftrained judges. Results showed that the inclusion of banana flour improved potassium, magnesium, and iron contents of the bread compared to 100% wheat bread. Vitamin C content also increased significantly with higher substitution levels of banana flour. However, sensory analysis indicated that bread with up to 20% banana flour substitution was more acceptable in terms of taste, texture, aroma, and overall acceptability, while higher substitution (30%) negatively affected sensory qualities. A total of 20 panelists randomly selected from students ofDepartment of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Michael Okpara University ofAgriculture, Umudike, Abia State performed the sensory assessment. The results showed that the ratio of wheat flour with its seeds flour affects not only the nutritional and mineral composition but also the sensory attributes ofthe bread. The findings provide valuable information for product optimization, taking into consideration both nutritional content and sensory appeal. It is therefore recommended that nutrient rich non-cereal flours should be utilized in this manner for production of conventional bread for domestic and commercial uses.