Barber L.I^1,, Emelike N.J.T¹, Sunday B.N¹

Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) flour was processed and used to substitute margarine at levels of 0, 10, 20 and 30% labelled A – D samples in the production of low fat cookies. Proximate and functional properties of the flour were studied, as well as the proximate, physical and sensory properties of the cookies made from the flour. The result showed that the breadfruit flour had moisture content of 3.24%, fat 10.20%, protein 9.88%, ash 2.56%, fibre 1.79% and carbohydrate 71.15%. Functional properties of the flour had values of 0.22g/ml, 0.01%, 2.50%, 0.86%, 44.40% and 2.01% for bulk density, foaming capacity, water and fat absorption capacity, emulsion capacity and least gelation concentration, respectively. Substitution of margarine with breadfruit flour increased the moisture content of the produced cookies from 3.4 – 4.9% (B and D samples), crude protein 7.8 – 9.5%, ash 1.0 – 1.2% and carbohydrate 48.5 – 60.7% while fat successively decreased from 39.2 – 23.4% for A and D samples. Physical properties of the cookies showed weight range of 31.25 – 39.30g, 1.98 – 2.70cm diameter, 1.63 – 1.98cm height and 1.00 – 1.66 spread ratio. Control cookie sample was highly preferred in all the sensory parameters analysed. Other samples were accepted up to 20% level of breadfruit flour substitution. From these analyses, low fat cookies can be produced using up to 30% breadfruit flour in place of fat and labelled low fat and improved protein for health conscious consumers. The sensory attributes of the cookies require improvement for better acceptability.

breadfruit, low fat, cookies, proximate, functional, physical, sensory properties