Nutritional and sensory characteristics of bread enriched with roasted prickly pears (Opuntiaficusindica ) seed flour

The present study aimed to investigate the nutritional, antioxidative, and sensory characteristics of bread enriched with roasted prickly pears seed flour (RPPS)flour. Six flour blends were formulated by partial replacement of wheat flour with 0, 2,4,6,8 and10 % of RPPS flour. Proximate composition, phenolics, flavonoids and antioxidant activity by DPPH of wheat and RPPS flours were determined. Nutritional and sensory characteristics of bread enriched with different levels of RPPS flour were evaluated. The results showed that the content of total phenolics, flavonoids and radical scavenging activity in RPPS flour were about 4.5 , 4.7 and 4.0 fold ,respectively, higher when compared to wheat flour. Incorporation of different levels of RPPS flour in bread formulation significantly increased dietary fibers, fat, and ash contents and reduced the carbohydrate contents of produced breads. The highest (p ≤ 0.05) phenolic concentrations and antioxidant activities values were found in the bread enriched with 6, 8 and 10% of RPPS flour. Generally, the replacement of wheat flour with RPPS flour caused significant decreases (p ≤ 0.05) of the specific volume, however, no significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) was observed between 2% RPPS-enriched flour and control breads. Sensory properties of breads were not affected at low levels up to 6 % supplementation, but with more than 6 % level of with RPPS flour supplementation, the bread became unacceptable.