Nutritional and Storage Stability of Bambara Groundnut Flour Enriched Biscuits

Abstract

Abstract The present study investigated the effect of partial substitution of wheat flour with Bambara groundnut flour (BGF) (Vigna subterranea var. Songkhla 1) on the nutritional, mineral, and sensorial attributes of biscuits. Four biscuit formulations were prepared by incorporating BGF at 0% (T0, control), 10% (T1), 20% (T2), and 30% (T3) levels. Proximate composition and mineral contents were determined using standard analytical procedures, while sensory evaluation was conducted to assess consumer acceptability. The results indicated that increasing levels of BGF significantly enhanced the mineral content of biscuits, particularly potassium (1.44±0.04 %), iron (0.33±0.03 %), zinc (0.31±0.12 %), magnesium (0.17±0.01 %), and phosphorus (0.30±0.02 %). Incorporation of BGF resulted in a progressive increase in protein digestibility, from 71.5±1.2% (T0) to 82.6±1.8% in T3. The rheological properties showed that Water absorption increased from 58.2±0.6% (T0) to 66.8±0.9% (T3) and Dough development time (DDT) also increased (2.1±0.2 min in T0 to 3.9±0.3 min in T3), while dough stability decreased from 4.8±0.3 min (T0) to 2.9±0.2 min (T3), indicating a weaker gluten matrix with higher BGF levels. Partial substitution of wheat flour with BGF significantly improved protein, mineral, dietary fiber, and antioxidant contents of the biscuits, while also influencing rheological, textural, and physicochemical properties.