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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania » Eastern Regional Research Center » Dairy and Functional Foods Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #284631
Title: Functional properties of plantain, cowpea flours and oat fiber in extruded products

Author
item ODURO-YEBOAH, CHARLOTTE - Food Research Institute - Ghana
item Onwulata, Charles
item TORTOE, CHARLES - Food Research Institute - Ghana
item Thomas-Gahring, Audrey

Submitted to: Journal of Food Processing and Preservation
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/19/2012
Publication Date: 7/31/2012
Citation: 2012. Functional properties of plantain, cowpea flours and oat fiber in extruded products. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation. DOI: 10.1111/j.1745-4549.2012.00782.x.

Interpretive Summary: This work developed long storage shelf-stable products from cowpeas and plantains grown in West Africa. The products can be used in the United States to reduce blood sugar spike in products made with powdered cowpea and plantain. By developing a long-term storage for indigenous local raw materials, postharvest losses were minimized, and the economic value of the products increased. The cowpea powder was used as a protein source to fortify the high carbohydrate plantains, with the aim of developing local snack industries in Ghana and other sub-Saharan Africa countries, enhancing food security.

Technical Abstract: Drying effect on functional properties of two plantain and cowpea varieties and suitability of their flour blends in extruded snacks was determined. The functional and rheological behaviors of (plantain: cowpea): 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40 and 50:50 blends were evaluated. The extrusion product melt temperatures were set to 90C for half-products, and 140C for fully expanded snack products. The differences in rheological properties depended on plantain and cowpea varieties. The peak viscosity for plantain flour decreased from 595.5 to 281.5 BU when blended with cowpea flour (75:25%); cowpea peak viscosities were 6 BU (Nhyira means blessings) and 13 BU (Asetenapa means good living). Paste value decreased as amount of cowpea flour blended with plantain flour increased. Pasting properties of the extrusion blends were significantly different (P < 0.05) depending on the blend ratios. The level of cowpea added affected the paste, hardness properties and the expansion height of the extruded products.