Proximate, In-Vitro Digestibility, Cooking Characteristics and Acceptability of Defatted Sesame Seeds Flour Enriched Whole Wheat Pasta

Abstract

Defatted sesame seed flour is an under-exploited by-product of sesame seeds oil extraction which is usually discarded. It has high dietary fibre, protein and minerals which could be harnessed for pasta production in developing countries. The objective of the study was to prepare pasta from whole wheat and defatted sesame seeds and to assess the proximate, in-vitro digestibility, acceptability, and cooking characteristics. Defatted sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seed flour (DSS) was produced using n-hexane (1 litre:500 g). Pasta was made using whole wheat flour with partial replacement of defatted sesame seed flour at 0 (control), 5, 10, 15, and 20 %. Standard methods of analyses were used to assess the proximate, in-vitro digestibility, cooking characteristics, and acceptability of the pasta, and the results were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). Higher content of protein, crude fibre, ash, and fat was observed with increased DSS substitution while the estimated glycaemic index and in-vitro protein digestibility ranged between 64.58 -70.69 and 67.69-80.06 %. The cooking characteristics were significantly (p<0.05) different. Sensory values indicated acceptability of up to 10 % substitution; above this, a decline in acceptability was observed. However, the acceptability of the pasta at DSS substitution of 5 % and control showed no significant difference. The consumption of pasta substituted with defatted sesame seeds can be considered a healthier option owing to the increase in the macronutrients, lower glycaemic index starch, and higher protein digestibility.