Abstract

Date fruit contains more than 70% sugar mainly glucose and fructose and therefore making it an ideal replacement for sugar (sucrose) in the confectionery recipe. The study investigated the sensory qualities of cookies and chinchin produced from wheat-date fruit flour blends. 30g and 40g of date palm fruit flour were separately blended with 100g of wheat flour while 30g of refined sugar was blended with 100g of wheat flour and serves as control sample. The functional properties of flour blends were analysed while sensory properties of cookie and chinchin produced from flour blends were assessed using standard methods. The data showed that functional properties of flour blends were significantly different which ranged for water absorption capacity (137.63 – 161.29%), oil absorption capacity (131.68 – 170.33%), bulk density (0.55 – 0.65g/ml), foaming capacity (13.86 – 16.31%), foaming stability (45.51 – 50.66%), emulsification activity index (12.35 – 16.53%), gelatinization (70.25 – 72.91 OC), pH (5.43 – 6.54) and swelling index (10.80 -13.54%). Also, the values of sensory properties ranged from 6.83 – 8.33, 6.43 – 7.70, 6.60 – 8.00, 6.27 – 7.70 and 6.80 – 8.20 for colour, flavour, taste, texture and overall acceptability respectively. The cookies produced from 100g wheat flour and 30g date palm fruit flour blend was most acceptable in terms of colour while chinchin produced from 100g wheat flour and 40g date palm fruit flour blend was most acceptable in term of flavour, taste and overall acceptability. The study showed that date palm fruit flour improved bulk density, foaming capacity, foaming stability, emulsification activity index and gelatinization temperature of the flour blends and acceptable cookie and chinchin could be produce from wheat-date palm fruit flour blends especially when blending 100g of wheat flour with 30g or 40g of date palm fruit flour.

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