Formulation of Plantain Flour-Based Pasta: Process Optimization and Sensory Evaluation

Introduction Agriculture is one of the driving forces of the economies of most African countries in general, and Cameroon in particular. Its role is to boost local markets and protect people against rising food prices in international markets [1]. However, propelling agricultural development without thinking of the efficient and effective means of processing and/or preserving the derived products seems to be a mere utopia. Plantains scientifically known as Musa paradisiaca are grown in more than 120 countries on five continents and over 10 million hectares [2,3]. Cameroon’s production is about 4,314,910 tons [4]. This crop occupies a prominent place in agriculture of most countries in West and Central Africa, where it is a staple food and a major component of food security [5]. They are used in the production of recipes and other food products like crisps, flour, flour-based products including pancakes, donuts, bread and jams [5-9]. According to the country and the dietary habits of consumers, unripe banana flour has been studied as a functional ingredient, mainly as a source of unavailable carbohydrates, such as resistant starch, which is its most expressive component. Several studies on the unripe banana flour fermentation have shown its high ferment ability and production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) [10]. Consumption of wheat-based products such as pasta is prominent in diets even in non-wheat countries. The latter are becoming more and more dependent on wheat-producing nations, especially during economic crises where wheat is very expensive ABSTRACT In order to promote locally made agriproducts, diversify the use of plantain-based flours (Musa AAB) in Cameroon and improve on the dietary situation of celiac patients in the world by formulating accessible gluten-free foods, flour from a plantain variety (Big ebanga) was used for the production of pasta. Physicochemical characterization of plantain flour and durum wheat flour was done. The Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to study the effect of the quantity of 3 factors (water, egg white and xanthan gum) on the cooking quality of pasta (swelling index and cooking loss). The optimal conditions were determined for each response. Therefore, the two formulations retained and the classic one was coded for sensory evaluation using the 9-point hedonic scale. The physicochemical characterization of flours revealed a significant difference (p<0.05) in the evaluated parameters except for lipid content. Regarding optimization, only the quantity of xanthan gum influenced the evaluated responses. Sensory evaluation results revealed three categories of panelists following their preferences, and enabled to bring out two conclusions: 1. plantain-based flours are fit for the manufacture of pasta, and 2. it is relevant to improve on some organoleptic qualities of plantain flour-based pasta in the framework of further studies. *Correspondence: NGOH NEWILAH Gérard Bertin, University of Dschang, Research unit of Biochemistry, Medicinal plants, Food Sciences and Nutrition (RUBMPFN), Biochemistry Department– 67 Dschang, Cameroon, Tel.: +237 679 47 75 55, Fax: +237 233 42 57 86.