Effect of the Addition of Pearl Millet Flour Subjected to Different Processing on the Antioxidants, Nutritional, Pasting Characteristics and Cookies Quality of Rice-Based Composite Flour

Abstract

Composite flour was developed from rice, soybean, tigernut and millet composite flours; with the millet subjected to different processing techniques such as debranning, fermentation and malting in other to determine the effect of processing methods on the quality of the flour. The proximate composition, functional properties and pasting characteristics, of the composite flour were evaluated. Cookies were produced from the best blend from each of the malted, fermented and debranned millet composite flours. The results showed that flour blend with malted millet had the highest ash and fiber contents. Composite flour consisting fermented millet had the highest protein content, functional properties and pasting characteristics. In terms of pasting properties, composite flour with fermented millet was the best followed by flour blend with malted millet. Cookies produced from the flour blend with fermented millet had the highest overall acceptability. The result showed that the quality of flour and biscuits were improved by the processing techniques and that the composite flour were good raw materials that could produce quality composite flour and acceptable cookies.