Wheat bread enrichment with hard-to-cook bean extruded flours: nutritional and acceptance evaluation

This study describes the enrichment of wheat bread with hard-to-cook black bean (BBEF) and cowpea (CEF) extruded flours. Breads containing 10% BBEF and 10% CEF presented increase of, respectively, 9% and 10% in protein content. In addition the fiber content was 2.6 higher in 10% BBEF bread and 2.2 higher in 10% CEF bread in comparison with standard bread. Despite protein and fiber increasing, the energetic value of substituted breads remained unchanged. An increase in the substitution to 15% resulted in decrease of specific volume and density of the breads. Results of sensory analysis to 10% BBEF bread presented overall appearance scores higher than standard bread and overall flavor acceptance very similar to standard. A total of 10% CEF bread presented similar appearance to those standard bread and 73% overall flavor acceptance. It is interesting to point out that distribution of 10% CEF bread overall flavor scores showed 3 distinct levels of consumer's sensibility. Practical Application: Breads enriched with extruded bean flours presented fiber and protein content improved and a very good consumer's acceptance. These results indicate that extruded bean flours constitute ingredients nutritionally and economically viable for technological application in breads elaboration, conferring improvement of nutritional characteristics without changing sensory attributes.