DEVELOPMENT OF CEREAL-BASED NUTRI BAR COMBINING WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF PARTIALLY SPROUTED CHICKPEAS FLOUR

Abstract

Modern consumers prefer snacks not only to satisfy their hunger but also to provide themselves with essential nutrients. Nutri bar is a convenient and healthy ready-to-eat food which supplies balanced nutrients. The nutritional value of the bars depends heavily on their ingredients used. Cereal-legume complementation is one of the strategies to produce the nutri bar with good protein quality and therefore the present research was conducted to evaluate the effects of partially sprouted chickpea flour (PSCF) with high protein content and nutrients on physicochemical properties of cereal-based nutri bar. Five levels (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40%) of PSCF were combined with other ingredients based on 100% reducing cereals (wheat and oat). Physical and chemical properties were determined and sensory evaluation was assessed using 9 hedonic scales by 55 panelists. Nutri bar with 40% of PSCF was highest in crude protein (20.58%) and crude fiber content (8.91%) among the treatments. Although most of the physicochemical properties were good in 40% PSCF, the score of overall acceptability in sensory evaluation was highest in 20% PSCF. Therefore, PSCF can be successfully added up to 20% levels for high quality protein and balanced nutrients for manufacturing of cereal-based nutri bars.