The effect of four Nigerian wheat flours on the loaf volume and sensory quality of bread

Four Nigerian wheat flours were purchased in Bauchi and Jos central markets. A preliminary survey of Nigerian bread, using a questionnaire, was carried out within the Bauchi metropolis. The four flours were used to produce bread, the volume index and sensory quality of the products were assessed and the data subjected to analysis of variance, p ≤q 0.05. A very high percentage of those examined (90.2 percent) consume bread, though only 52.2 percent do so regularly. Softness, sweet taste, and the slight brown colour of these bread qualities were given greater preference. The proximate analysis of these wheat flours range from 12.59-12.81 (moisture), 12.36-14.20 (crude protein), 1.40-2.40 (crude fibre), 1.57-1.72 (lipids), 0.79-0.81 (ash), 0.34-0.44 (calcium), 0.07-0.08 (phosphorous). The volume index of the breads produced are 3.8, 3.6, 3.45 and 3. The sensory quality (colour, texture, flavour) were significantly affected, p ≤q 0.05, by the variety of the wheat flour.