Nutritional properties of wheat flour supplemented with modified tacca (Tacca involucrata) flour for production of healthy biscuits

Abstract

Background

Tacca flour obtained from tacca tubers, an underutilized crop rich in carbohydrate and phytochemicals, was subjected to physical, chemical and enzymatic modifications which were supplemented into wheat flour for the production of healthy wheat–tacca flour biscuits. While the proximate composition and the antioxidants properties of the native and modified samples were carried out in order to produce modified samples with the best antioxidant properties for subsequent  preparation of biscuits. The haematological, in vitro antioxidative and lipid peroxidative potentials of the biscuit samples were evaluated.

Results

The results show that while native tacca flour had the best proximate composition, the flour sample from enzymatic modification had the best antioxidants properties. The biscuit produced from wheat–tacca flour at varying compositions of tacca flour ranging from 5 to 20% incorporations (TEB5%, TEB10%, TEB15 and TEB20%) showed that all the samples substituted with modified tacca flour had better haematological properties, in vitro antioxidative properties and lipid peroxidative properties compared to the 100% wheat biscuit. Specifically, the sample TEB20% (20% tacca flour incorporation) had the best nutritional qualities. The toxicological studies showed that the samples with tacca flour incorporation are better than 100% wheat flour biscuit and basal diet.

Conclusion

Tacca flour would successfully supplement wheat flour in the production of nutritionally rich and toxicologically safe biscuit with over 70% overall sensory acceptability.