Effects of Baobab (Adansonia Digitata) Fruit Pulp Powder Incorporation On the Nutritional, Functional and Sensory Properties of the Composite Bread Made with Wheat Flour (Published)
The Baobab (Adansonia digitata) is nicknamed the “tree of life” because of its exceptional versatility in terms of food, medicine, economics and ecology, with edible fruit. The aim of this study is to diversify the use of Adansonia digitata pulp, a local food resource that is little exploited for everyday products such as bread. Adansonia digitata fruit pulp, dried and ground into a very fine mixture, is incorporated into Type 55 wheat flour. Composite formulations containing 0%, 5%, 10%, 12% and 15% Adansonia digitata powder were analyzed for their nutritional, functional and sensory characteristics. The results show a significant improvement in fiber content (2.15%), bioactive compounds (polyphenols (2737.75 mg EAG/100g DM); flavonoids (804.91 mg EQ/100g DM) and tannins (968.25 mg EAT/100g DM)) and minerals (1.47%). Formulations containing up to 10% Adansonia digitata were the best accepted from a sensory point of view. The moderate incorporation of Adansonia digitata pulp into wheat flour therefore appears to be an effective strategy for improving the nutritional quality of bread while preserving its acceptability by consumers.
Keywords: Adansonia digitata fruit pulp powder, Baobab, Composite Bread, breadmaking