Sensory Properties of Macaroni with and without Green Banana Pulp and the Application of 60 Cobalt Ionizing Radiation

Abstract

The green banana flour or green banana is a complex–carbohydrate source (mainly as resistant starch), minerals, vitamins and fiber. It is important to take into account the sensory properties in the use of ready- to -eat foods like macaroni, among others. Gamma irradiation is considered an alternative method for food preservation. The aim of this study was to compare the influence of flour type, flour irradiation treatment and cooking time on the physical, chemical and sensory properties of macaroni noodles. To discover the differences between the noodles, two cooking times (6 and 10 min in boiling water) were used in order to study their extensibility and point of rupture. The rheological properties were determined with a tensile strength module coupled to the TA-HDi texture analyzer. The moisture and protein contents were also analyzed. In addition, acceptation tests of the three different types of macaroni cooked at different times were performed. The irradiation of banana noodles was performed in a 60Co. The normal wheat samples presented significantly higher values for extensibility than the banana samples (P < 0.05). The protein values of samples ranged between 4 – 6% (m/m), but the differences among all the samples were not significant (P > 0.05). The sensory evaluation of samples showed that the samples of 10 min cooking were preferred than samples of 6 min cooking. The banana macaroni noodles showed a lower extensibility and lower protein content (without eggs) than normal pasta, being this one the sensorially preferred. Concerning cooking times, it was found that the tasters preferred the macaroni noodles cooked 10 minutes. For protein no significant difference (P > 0.05) were found among all the macaroni.