EFFECT OF PROCESSING ON PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES OF FOUR DIFFERENT IMPROVED VARIETIES OF WHOLE WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) FLOUR.
Hashim, H1, Petrol, B.B.2,Falmata, A.S.1 and Modu, S.1
ABSTRACT
Wheat is consumed worldwide because of its high nutritional content and convenience to form different products. Whole wheat is an important source of dietary fiber and its consumption is known to lower the risk of colon cancer, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Processing of agricultural products remain the most important food and nutrition security aspect in the modern world. Processing is done to improve consumer acceptability while retaining its nutritional values. The effects of fermentation singly, sprouting singly and combined sprouting-fermentation processes on various physicochemical and functional properties of four different varieties of whole wheat flour (Triticum aestivum L.) were investigated in this study. Standard methods were used to determine proximate, minerals, antinutrients as well as some functional characteristics in unprocessed (B100U, NU, IU and R28U), fermented (B100F, NF, IF and R28F), sprouted (B100S, NS, IS and R28S) and sprouted-fermented (B100C, NC, IC and R28C) samples of Triticum aestivum L. varieties. The results showed significant (P<0.05) increase between the processed and the unprocessed flours across the four wheat varieties in their nutrient contents, with the combined (sprouted-fermented) flours recording the highest value in terms of protein, fat and minerals followed by the sprouted and then fermented singly. Also, the percentage reduction in antinutrients was higher for the sprouted-fermented flours in phytic acid across all the four varieties. For tannins and saponins, sprouted and fermented flours showed higher percentage decrease respectively. All the processed flours showed desired functional characteristics. The findings in this research are in support of the body of literature that consumption of whole food products is likely to be more beneficial to consumers than the refined products. Bioprocessing techniques such as sprouting and fermentation can be considered as a viable option towards improving nutritional value of food.
Keywords: Whole Wheat flour, sprouting, fermentation and Mineral Composition.