Mohammed Ikagu Yusufu^1,, Inya Mary Ugochi¹

Biscuits are widely consumed bakery products traditionally made from wheat flour; however, increasing demand for nutrient-dense and gluten-reduced or free alternatives has encouraged the use of composite flours from sweet potato and almond. This study evaluated the functional properties of flours, proximate, physical, and sensory properties of biscuits produced from sweet potato flour and its blends with raw, blanched, and toasted almond flours, using wheat and sweet potato biscuits as controls. Flours were analyzed for functional properties, while proximate composition was determined using AOAC methods. Biscuits were produced and evaluated for physical characteristics. Sensory evaluation was conducted using a 9-point hedonic scale with semi-trained panelists. Data were subjected to ANOVA at p < 0.05, and means were separated using LSD. Functional properties differed significantly (p < 0.05), with water absorption capacity (172.00–183.50%), oil absorption capacity (105.50–172.66%), bulk density (0.62–0.g/mL), swelling capacity (35.50–65.00%), gelation temperature (47.00–59.00 °C), and least gelation concentration (4.00–14.00%). Proximate composition varied significantly, with almond incorporation increasing protein (5.47–16.43%), fat (8.23–33.47%), ash (1.05–1.52%), and fibre (0.85–1.21%), while reducing carbohydrate (42.16–74.59%).Sensory scores (6.20–7.90) indicated good acceptability across samples. Biscuits containing toasted almond flour recorded the highest flavour (8.20), texture (7.30), and overall acceptability (7.40), attributed to enhanced nutty flavour and improved crispness from roasting. Wheat biscuits showed superior appearance (8.40), while raw almond biscuits had lower texture (5.30) and acceptability (6.20). No significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed among most sensory attributes, indicating comparable consumer acceptance. The incorporation of almond flour, particularly toasted almond, significantly enhances the nutritional quality and sensory appeal of sweet potato biscuits without compromising acceptability, making it suitable for development of nutrient-enriched and acceptable sweet potato-almond composite biscuits.

Sweet potato flour, Almond flour, Composite flour, Biscuit quality, Proximate composition, Sensory evaluation