Characterization of Physico-Functional, Nutritional, and Antioxidant Properties of Jackfruit By-Product Flour and Assess its Potential Use in the Development of Pasta

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus L.) is a popular seasonally grown crop in Sri Lanka. The by-products generated from jackfruit season are mostly used as animal feed or landfilled without being used. Therefore, this research aimed to characterize the nutritional and functional properties of jackfruit by-product flour (jackfruit core and rags; 3:1 w/w) while exploring its potential use to develop pasta. The physico-functional properties, proximate composition, and antioxidant properties of jackfruit by-product flour compared with commercial wheat flour were analyzed. Composite flour was prepared by substituting wheat flour with different amounts of jackfruit by-product flour (25%, 35%, and 40% w/w). Thirty semi-trained panelists were used to conduct a sensory evaluation to select the best pasta made from a composite flour mixture. Proximate composition, physical properties, and shelf-life of the selected best product were analyzed using standard methods; in comparison to wheat flour, jackfruit by-product flour displayed a higher water absorption capacity (8.77±0.06%) and swelling capacity (46.00±5.66 mL), indicating that it can be used for making bakery products with enhanced properties. The jackfruit by-product flour contained a significantly (p<0.05) high amount of crude fiber (13.00±1.13%) compared to the wheat flour (2.24±0.23%). Further, the total phenolic and flavonoid content of jackfruit by-product flour were 40.9±0.02 mg GAE (Gallic acid equivalent)/100 g and 65.7±0.02 mg QE (Quercetin equivalent)/100 g, respectively, and it showed 8.46 ± 0.01 mg TE (Trolox equivalent)/100 g DPPH radical scavenging activity. The pasta made from 25% (w/w) jackfruit by-product flour showed the highest mean rank values for all the tested sensory attributes. The shelf-life study showed that the developed product could be stored in low-density polyethylene laminated packages for 6 weeks under ambient temperature. In conclusion, jackfruit by-product flour can be used as a partial replacement for wheat flour when preparing pasta.