Nutritional and Microbial Evaluation of Cookies Produced From Canary Mielon (Cucumis melo) Seed and Wheat Flour Blends

ABSTRACT
Cookies were produced from different flour blends of wheat and canary melon seed flour at 10-80% ratios to assess the suitability of canary melon seed flour in baking cookies of higher nutritional value. Cookies from 100% wheat flour served as the control. The functional, proximate, sensory and microbial qualities of the cookie’s samples were investigated. The ash content ranged from 1.40 - 2.80%, fat (19.68 - 22.50%), crude fiber (0.60 - 3.50 %) and protein (5.00 - 12.05%). The functional properties of the flour blends varied as the flour blend substitutions increased. An increase was observed in the oil absorption capacity (0.88% - 1.30%), water absorption capacity (0.70 % - 1.55%), bulk density (0.82 - 1.06 g/cm³), swelling index (2.64 % -1.69%), emulsion capacity (36.60 – 50.65 %). The result of sensory attributes of cookies appearance ranged from 5.42 - 7.30, taste (4.50 - 7.40), aroma (5.00 -7.20) and texture (0.95 - 7.20). The overall acceptability value ranged from 5.00 - 12.05. Result shows that acceptable cookies can be produced from composite substitute of 70:30 (W3CMF3). The result of microbial count showed that the total bacterial counts (TBCs) and fungal counts (TFCs) of the cookies samples were observed to increase during storage. TBCs and TFCs of cookies samples after 3 weeks of storaged range from 6.05 x 10³ to 9.50 x 10³cfu/g and 5.25 x 10³ to 7.03 x 10³cfu/g. The cookies had good shelf life and were within recommended safe limits.