Processing and Ingredient Effects on Quality Attributes of Maize Cereals

Snacks are a form of convenient light mealwith attractive taste and texture that not only engages the taste buds of the consumer but can also provide adequate nutrition. Snacks are usually consumed in between major meals. Flaked snack like breakfast cereals is also eaten either in the breakfast time or as an evening snack. However, the critical criteria for snack foods is that it should be attractive such that a consumer should buy again. Snack food industries are looking for attractive and innovative snacks that not only offer a good enjoyable product but also supplies lesser energy with improved nutritional status. Developing a shelf-stable snack food with grains as a major ingredient would require a processing technique with minimum loss of food grains. Breakfast cereal is one of the important and most convenient products which not only can serve as nutrient dense product but could also remarkably enhance the bio-availability of proteins, minerals and also significantly enhances its dietary fiber content. In the present study, the effect of processing i.e. flake making from grain parts (grits) or from grain flour, and final toasting condition such as moisture content of the raw grit flake or flour flake on the quality attributes of the flaked snack has been investigated. The CIE LAB instrumental color space parameters (L*, a* and b*), and the thickness of puffed of the snackshave been correlated with the sensory attributes of the products. The results presented have shown that maize grit based flakes are the best acceptable product with improved sensory and nutritional characteristics.