Quality Significance and Assessment of Bread Spiced with Chili Pepper (Capsicum annuum)

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess the quality significance of wheat flour bread spiced with chili pepper at varying proportion. Chemical composition and functional properties of spiced wheat flour were determined. Physical characteristics, vitamin A, beta-carotene and sensory evaluation of spiced bread were also evaluated. The results showed that the moisture ranged from 9.67-14.83%, protein from 8.44-12.53%, ash from 0.69-3.57%, fiber from 0.84-1.47% and fat from 1.13-3.00% respectively. The results of the proximate composition increased significantly (p<0.05) with increase in chili pepper. The values recorded for wheat flour spiced with 10% was significantly higher. Swelling power and water absorption capacity decreased significantly (p<0.05) with increase in chili pepper. Significant difference (p<0.05) exists in the values of oven spring (6.19-7.27cm), loaf weight (233.58-270.98 g) and specific volume (5.77-7.16 cm 3 /g) of the bread respectively. Inclusion of chili pepper enhanced the colour, vitamin A and β-carotene of the bread. The bread spiced with 2% chili pepper was most preferred by the panelists. This research suggested that inclusion of chili pepper in bread production may promote value addition and utilization of chili pepper. Practical implications The use of pepper is a new innovation that could encourage more people to consume bread and the ability of piperine, an active ingredient in pepper that could improve bioavailability of micronutrients in bread that could have been chelated by phytates and other constituents of flour. This will also create opportunity for farmers that grow pepper and improve pepper utilization.