Physicochemical evaluation and sensory profiling of protein-crosslinked instant noodles enriched with particle size-fractionated banana peel powder

In this study, the impact of varying particle size fractions—namely fine, medium, and coarse fractions—of banana peel powder (BPP) on the physicochemical properties and sensory profiles of transglutaminase-induced protein-crosslinked instant noodles was investigated. Gravimetric measurements revealed that BPP incorporation led to higher ash and total dietary fiber content. Tensile force evaluations of cooked noodles demonstrated that fine BPP crosslinked noodles exhibited superior tensile strength, while crosslinked noodles with coarse BPP maintained similar tensile force to non-crosslinked wheat noodles. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a denser surface within the noodle samples. Enzymatic crosslinking increased β-sheet protein secondary structures, while BPP incorporation reduced the short-range ordered starch structure. BPP also influenced color properties, with greater lightness reduction observed in medium and coarse BPP fractions. Sensory evaluations indicated that consumers favored noodles containing fine BPP particles over the medium and coarse BPP fractions, as revealed by hedonic sensory evaluation. Additionally, penalty analysis of sensory data obtained from the check-all-that-apply method highlighted favorable and unfavorable sensory attributes of the noodles. Overall, this study provides valuable insights for the development of healthier instant noodle products.