Effect of partial replacement of wheat flour with unripe banana flour on the functional, thermal, and physicochemical characteristics of flour and biscuits

Banana (Musa sp.) is a highly consumed fruit, and the fifth most important crop in world export market. It contains nutrients such as dietary fibre, minerals, vitamins, pro-vitamins, and phenolic compounds that are important in lowering the risk of chronic diseases. However, the onset of ripening due to the climacteric nature of the fruit makes banana susceptible to spoilage and short storage period. Therefore, the current work was aimed to evaluate the properties of flour and biscuits formulated with under-ripe muomva red banana flour (MRF) as partial replacement (0, 10, 15, 20, and 25%) for wheat flour. Functional, thermal, and physicochemical characteristics of flour and biscuits were determined. The inclusion of MRF improved the functional properties such as bulk density, oil, and water holding capacity of wheat flour. The results showed an increase in all the gelatinisation temperature parameters (To , Tp, and Te ) of flour with increase in MRF concentration. The onset temperature (To) of flour increased from 70.25 to 109.41°C, peak temperature (Tp ) from 72.59 to 116.21°C, and end temperature (Te ) from 91.07 to 123.21°C. However, colour measurements showed that MRF significantly contributed to darker colour (lower L*) of biscuits. The L* values of biscuits from wheat and muomva red composite flour at different ratios decreased from 52.63 to 41.43. The a*, b*, and chroma values also decreased as MRF increased. Meanwhile the weight, spread ratio, break force, and fracturability of biscuits increased. The inclusion of MRF significantly improved the bioactive compounds and DPPH values of biscuits. In conclusion, the incorporation of MRF could be an effective way to produce nutritious and acceptable biscuits.