The Effect of Addition of Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) Flour on the Quality Characteristics of Biscuits

English (OpenAlex)

Buckwheat, a nutritious pseudocereal, offers numerous health benefits, including reducing celiac disease, high blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar regulation, and cancer risk reduction. Hence, the objective of this research was to create biscuits with enhanced proximate chemical composition, physicochemical, nutritional and sensory characteristics of biscuits using composite flour prepared with refined soft wheat flour (RWF) -based 0% (A), 30% (B), 50% (C), 70% (D) and 100% (E) buckwheat flour (BWF). An increase in BWF substitute resulted in a significant (p≤.05) increase in moisture, ash, fat, and protein content and a decrease in carbohydrate content of both flours and biscuits. The increasing levels of BWF led to a decrease in L* and b* colour values, and an increase in a* colour value of both flours and biscuits. Addition of BWF to RWF decreased the thickness, diameter, and hardness values of the biscuits, while increasing bulk density, weight, spread ratio, and textural fracturability. All biscuits with different substitution levels of BWF resulted in acceptable sensory characteristics. All sensory evaluations were found to be high scores for the control sample and decreased with BWF supplementation. Results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that as more buckwheat flour was added to wheat flour, the biscuits with starch granules kept wrapping, and the gluten network structure held together with some slack and tiny holes. The use of BWF in biscuits not only enhances their nutritional, physicochemical, and functional properties but also promotes the production of healthier biscuits.