Quality of nixtamalized, sprouted and baked multigrain chips

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of the study was to discover whether incorporating flours with high nutritive value along with pre-treatment of cereals with nixtamalization and sprouting of legumes would result in a high-quality healthy alternative for corn-based snacks. Design/methodology/approach Flours of nixtamalized cereals-corn, wheat, rice and sorghum and sprouted legumes-soybean and green gram are made into dough and baked instead of fried to form multi-grain chips. The particle size and physical properties of flour and nutritional, functional and textural properties of dough and chips are tested to study the effect of combination of nixtamalization of cereals and sprouting of legumes in the development of chips. Findings Baked multi-grain chips made of nixtamalized cereals and sprouted legumes had a significantly (p < 0.05) smaller particle size of 24.6 µm compared to T1 24.8 µm, C1 29.3 µm and C2 31.7 µm. T2 and C2 had significantly (p = 0.05) lower OAC value than C1 and T1 due to nixtamalization as nixtamalized flour needed half the amount of oil during dough formation. T1 showed highest calcium (mg/100 g) of 466 which was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than all other groups. The overall acceptability of T2 (8.6) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than T1 (7.8), C2 (7.4) and C1 (6.8) on the nine-point Hedonic scale. Originality/value The developed chips are superior in terms of higher protein and minerals with better organoleptic acceptability and lower fat content in comparison to both corn chips and nixtamalized corn chips. The multi-grain chip therefore offers a new option for the consumer in high-quality healthy alternative to corn-based fried snacks.