Effect of unripe banana and pigeon pea flour on the chemical, anti-nutritional and sensory properties of whole wheat- based cookies

The chemical, anti-nutritional and sensory properties of cookies made with whole wheat (Triticum aestivum), unripe banana (Musa sapientum) and Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) flours were evaluated. The flours were prepared by drying, cracking, winnowing, milling and sieving of each of the materials. The flours were mixed in different proportions and were baked as cookies. The chemical analysis revealed that the cookies at varied composition (sample WBPA, WBPB, WBPC and WBPD) had moisture, ash, fat, crude fiber, crude protein and carbohydrate contents ranged from 2.85% - 7.34%; 2.27% - 2.75%; 16.50% - 20.29%; 3.37% - 5.03%; 9.13% - 12.33%; 57.03% - 62.80% respectively. Significant difference occurred among the samples.  Increase in substitution of whole wheat with unripe banana and pigeon pea increase the ash, crude fiber protein and decrease the carbohydrate content. The result for anti-nutritional properties of the cookies for tannin, oxalate, phytate and cyanide were (0.11- 0.16) mg/100g, (0.04 – 0.39) mg/100g, (0.04 – 0.08) mg/100g and (0.0.02 – 0.03) mg/100g respectively. The anti-nutritional content were not different significantly especially oxalate and cyanide content as the inclusion increases.  The sensory evaluation was also carried out for color, aroma, taste, crispiness and general acceptability; the results were 6.50 -7.80, 7.70- 8.30, 7.40 – 7.80, 7.40 – 7.80 and 7.50- 8.50.  Sample WBPC had the highest acceptability when compared with samples WBPB and sample WBPD.  The results of the study showed that as substitution of whole wheat with unripe banana and pigeon pea increases the nutritional value in terms of proximate composition of the cookies increases, while cyanide content reduce. Sample WBPC (80:5:5) with the highest protein, ash, fibre, low carbohydrate content, highest acceptability and low anti nutritional content established that it is possible to use whole wheat, unripe banana and pigeon pea flour blends to produce acceptable cookies with increase nutritional value; hence it was recommended.