Development and Storage Stability of Buckwheat - Chia Seeds Fortified Biscuits

Biscuits are one of the popular convenience, ready-to-eat, easy-to-carry, easy-to-store bakery products consumed by all age groups and a better vehicle for fortification and enrichment with micro and macro nutrients. In the present study, buckwheat and chia seed flours were used to prepare composite wheat flour in order to improve the protein, fiber, fatty acids and mineral content in biscuits. Biscuits were prepared from refined wheat flour, buckwheat flour and chia flour blends in various ratios (of 100:0:0; 85:10:5; 70:20:10; 55:30:15 and 40:40:20, respectively). The incorporation of buckwheat and chia flour, resulted in darkening and hardening of biscuits. Sensory quality and acceptability scores were decreased with the increase in the level of buckwheat and chia seed flour. Biscuits containing 30:15 (Buckwheat: chia) were acceptable in relation to overall acceptability. The diameter of the biscuit decreased from 62.3 mm to 57.4 mm the spread ratio of biscuits decreased from 10.55 to 6.89 but thickness increased from 5.90 mm to 8.32 mm as the level of incorporation of composite flour increased. There was a considerable increase in protein, fiber and micronutrients in the biscuits by adding buckwheat and chia flour. The optimized biscuits had 9.15% protein, 1.48% ash, 5.65% fiber, 74.3mg calcium and 4.4mg iron corresponding to the control about 5.11%, 0.51% and 1.21%, 18.78mg and 0.93mg. These biscuits were chemically and sensorily accpeted upto 60 days of storage in poly proplyne pouches at room temperature.