Unleashed protein power: redefining baked goods with legume flour mixtures

This study aims to address protein-energy malnutrition by developing flour mixtures where legume flours, such as chickpeas, pigeon peas, mung beans, and lentils, are the primary components, with refined wheat flour added in varying proportions, proximate composition analysis of these flours, assessment of antioxidant activities in the mixed flours, the formulation and baking of biscuits using these composite flours, and a thorough analysis of the resulting biscuits. Purposely, 5 kinds of the biscuits were prepared as T0 (control), T1 (mung bean flour supplemented), T2 (chickpea flour supplemented), T3 (pigeon pea flour supplemented) & T4 (lentil flour supplemented). The study outlines a significant increase (p < .05) in the protein content of biscuits as legume flour gradually replaced wheat flour. Protein content surged from 9.3 ± 0.02% in the T0 (100% wheat) to 23.70 ± 0.04% (T1), 23.10 ± 0.01% (T2), 20.16 ± 0.49% (T3), and 26.31 ± 1.25% (T4). Total phenolics (TPC) significantly escalated from 2.58 ± 0.03 mg GAE/g in the control to 8.27 ± 0.02, 12.38 ± 0.06, 11.47 ± 0.10 and 7.40 ± 0.05 mg GAE/g, respectively in biscuits invigorated with mung bean, chickpea, pigeon pea, and lentil flours. Similarly, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity exhibited significant enhancement, ranging from 0.23 ± 0.01 (T0) to 0.30 ± 0.20, 0.29 ± 0.13, 0.32 ± 0.10 and 0.27 ± 0.05 Trolox mg/g, respectively in T1, T2, T3 & T4. Moreover, the FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power) assay revealed a substantial augmentation in antioxidant activity, increasing from 16.2 ± 0.06 mmol Fe (II)/100 g in the control to 22.08 ± 0.06, 33.42 ± 0.06, 22.98 ± 0.06 & 26.87 ± 0.06 mmol Fe (II)/100 g in biscuits invigorated with mung bean, chickpea, pigeon pea, and lentil flours, respectively.