Quality evaluation of acha and pineapple pulp flour blend biscuits.

The quality of biscuits produced from blends of acha flour and pineapple pulp flour (PPF) were investigated. The PPF was substituted into acha flour at 2.5, 5 and 10 %. The 100% acha served as the control. The chemical, phytochemical and sensory properties of the biscuits were determined using standard methods AOAC, 2015. The moisture, protein, ash, fats and carbohydrates contents of the acha-pineapple flour composites biscuits decreased from 14.25 to 11.01, 8.26 to 6.28, 3.12 to 2.00, 7.50 to 6.19 and 67.70 to 65.40% respectively. The fiber content increased from 2.87 to 5.10 % with an increase in added pineapple flour (0-10%). The tannin, saponin, phytate and oxalate content of the acha-pineapple pulp flour composite biscuits increased from 0.90 to 1.75, 2.98 to 9.84, 1.07 to 1.20 and 0.89 to 1.11 mg/g, respectively, with an increase in the added pineapple fiber (0-10%). Generally, all the flour blended biscuits produced from acha and pineapple flour blend were all acceptable, but the most preferred was that containing 5% pineapple pulp flour. The acceptability of acha flour in food baking process will greatly reduce the dependence on imported wheat flour with subsequent decrease in cost of production and sales of baked products with great open door for commercial production of acha grain and pineapple fruits in the agricultural sectors.