UTILIZATION OF WHEAT ALTERNATIVES TO PRODUCE FLAT BREAD WITH HIGH NUTRITIONAL VALUE

Abstract

With the increase in urbanization and change in life style, there is a demand for convenience as well as nutritious food products, available within a short time. Hence, this investigation aimed to examine on various aspects of healthy multigrain whole meal to produce unleavened flat bread with new formulations with reference to economy and future scope. Multigrain unleavened flat bread was produced from whole meal barley or whole meal oat (4060 %) with four different concentrations of corn (5-20%); sorghum (5-15%); rice flour (10 %) and wheat flour (20 %). Chemical composition, minerals, microbial load, texture and consumer acceptability were determined. There were significant differences between protein, crude fiber, ether extract, ash and the total carbohydrates contents of all produced bread blends as well as the control sample. All prepared bread had acceptable score values of taste, chewing ability, texture, aroma and color which were nonsignificantly different compared with the control bread. Minerals content increased by increasing oat and barley concentrations. Texture profile parameters (hardness, springiness, chewiness & cohesiveness) increased by increasing the percentage of composite multigrain flours in the blends. All blends of oat and barley recorded the lowest values for total and yeast count (TBC and Y.C) during storage. Hence, high substitutions could considerably reduce the cost of raw materials and could nutritionally improve products with cereal blends.