Development of Locally Available Fruit Incorporated Pasta

Pasta is a type of noodle which is consumed in large quantities throughout the world. It is convenient and easy to cook food. But it is not considered as a nutritionally balanced food as it is low in many nutrients such as protein, vitamins and minerals. In the present study, locally available fruits such as jack fruit pulp, papaya pulp, banana pulp, green gram flour, tapioca flour and wheat flour were the ingredients selected for the pasta development. Fruits were incorporated in pasta to improve the micro nutrient quality of the product. In order to improve the protein quality, green gram flour was included. Tapioca is known for its texture retention property and also helps in good extrusion. Wheat is the basic component of pasta product. The various ingredients selected were combined in different variations and extruded. The best extruded pasta product was identified by Mass Flow Rate (MFR) study. The selected best variations were taken for further analysis such as physical, sensory and nutritional characteristics. The study result proved that the physical characteristics of papaya incorporated pasta was excellent compared to other pastas developed. The nutritional quality of the banana pasta was excellent followed by jack fruit incorporated pasta, mixed fruit incorporated pasta and papaya incorporated pasta. The sensory study of the developed pasta product signified that banana incorporated pasta had more acceptability than the other developed pastas in the study. The well accepted pasta products that were developed in the study can be scaled up for potential commercialization and marketing.