| This work was undertaken to add value to local bean crops by determining the technical feasibility of utilizing common bean flour from different cultivars for the nutritional fortification of snack foods such as flour tortillas and corn starch-based extrudates. Additionally, the dehulling of beans aiming the separation of different components such as seed coats and cotyledons was also studied.;The effect of bean cultivar on some physical and nutritional properties of wheat- and corn-based snacks was more significant for substitutions higher than 25%. Fortification at 25-30% produced acceptable textural parameters and improved nutritional profile in comparison to the wheat and corn starch controls. Colour and levels of phenolics and antioxidant activity were not changed to a great extent in materials to which navy bean flour was added, however these parameters were significantly affected for the other type of beans. Levels of antinutritional compounds were significantly reduced during processing, indicating that bean snacks could be safely used for human nutrition. |
