Cookies produced with banana meal: chemical, physical andsensorial evaluation

The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of unripe banana meal (UBM) (Musa (AAA group) 'Dwarf Cavendish') in the production of cookies. Cookies were produced substituting 10, 20 and 30% of the wheat: flour for UBM, as well as standard cookies without UBM. The chemical compositions, physical features (weight, diameter and thickness) and sensorial characteristics of the cookies were evaluated. A cookie acceptance trial was conducted, which revealed no significant difference between the formulations containing UBM and the standard, except for the type III cookie, which was less well accepted (p < 0.05) by children. The chemical composition of the cookies did not differ significantly from the standpoint of moisture and total lipids. The most important differences were found in the starch, total reducing sugars and mineral salts content. The main differences in the cookies' physical characteristics were their diameters after baking, indicating that UBM altered the properties of the wheat flour. Therefore, in view of the high nutritional value of the cookies containing banana meal, with no significant alteration of their physical and sensorial characteristics, the use of this meal as a partial substitute of wheat flour is viable and can be recommended in the preparation of alternative nutritionally enriched foods.