Development and Functional Characterisation of Nutrient-Dense Snack Bars Enriched with Banana Blossom and Jackfruit Seed Powder
Ashmita Ganguly
Dr. N.T.R. College of Food Science and Technology, Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh - 522101, India.
Blessy Sagar Seelam *
Department of Food Process Engineering, Dr. N.T.R. College of Food Science and Technology, Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh - 522101, India.
Gelli Lakshmi Prasanna
Dr. N.T.R. College of Food Science and Technology, Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh - 522101, India.
Sadu Poorna Pujitha
Dr. N.T.R. College of Food Science and Technology, Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh - 522101, India.
Janam Umadevi
Dr. N.T.R. College of Food Science and Technology, Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh - 522101, India.
Siddhabathuni Mahendra Sai
Dr. N.T.R. College of Food Science and Technology, Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh - 522101, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Snack foods are growing very fast compared to other food products. Today, the concern of people in food is not only to satisfy hunger but also to consume a product which could be beneficial for health or may decrease the risk of developing various diseases. The present study focused on the development and evaluation of texture, total phenolic content, antioxidants and titratable acidity of date and fig bars incorporated with banana blossom and jackfruit seed powders. Six formulations (T0 to T5) were prepared, with T0 serving as the control (comprising Medjool dates, dried figs, and jaggery powder), while T1 to T5 included varying proportions of jackfruit seed and banana blossom powders. Nutritional profiling revealed that total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were highest in T5 (2.78mg GAE/100g and 41.35% DPPH scavenging activity, respectively), correlating with the high polyphenol content of banana blossom. Titratable acidity increased due to the presence of organic acids in the added powders. Texture profile analysis showed that the T3 sample had the best textural parameters. The study concludes that banana blossom and jackfruit seed powders are promising ingredients for enhancing the functional and nutritional profile of fruit- based snack bars, contributing to product diversification, dietary fibre intake, and sustainable utilisation of agro-biodiversity.
Keywords: Bars, banana blossom, jackfruit seeds, total phenolic content, antioxidants, titratable acidity