NUTRITIONAL, FUNCTIONAL AND SENSORY PROPERTIES OF WHEAT, RICE AND FABABEAN BLENDS TEXTURIZED BY DRUM DRYING

Blending of wheat and fababean flours (73:27 w/w) to the 17.8% protein (N x 5.7) level increased the amino acid (AA) score from 38 to 59, wh ereas a 17.7% protein blend of rice flour and fababean protein concent rate (82:18 w/w) increased the AA score from 62 to 72. Nutritive indic es were not improved by including cottonseed or sesame flours in the b lends. Cooking and texturization on a drum dryer reduced the AA scores to 47 and 67, respectively, for the wheat and rice blends, indicating that rice/fababean blends would be preferred in weaning foods. Textur ization caused a marked increase in water absorption but reduced oil e mulsification of all blends. Sensory evaluation rated the texturized p roducts favourably when consumed as a breakfast cereal or puffed, bake d snack.