Storage influence on the functional, sensory and keeping quality of quality protein maize flour.

Apart from nutritional values functional and sensory properties affect the behavior of food system and its acceptability for consumption during storage. Hence keeping quality of maize flour (HQPM-7) with and without lime treatment(control) was studied in terms of functional (bulk density, pH, swelling capacity, water and oil absorption capacity, least gelation concentration, peroxide value), sensory (appearance, color, taste, texture, mouth feel and overall acceptability) and rolling parameters (water absorption by flour, rolling quality, diameter after baking ) for a period of 6 months under room temperature (25 ± 5 °C) in two types of packages viz, LDPE cover (P) and plastic box (B). Physical parameters such as length, breadth and thickness (11.26-10.52 mm, 9.67-9.14 mm, & 4.72-3.95 mm) were reduced in lime treated grains compared to control. Significant increase (p ≤ 0.05) in ash content of lime treated flour (1.67 ± 0.01 g) was observed compared to control (1.5 ± 0.02 g). Calcium content of lime treated maize flour increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) from 48 to 136 mg. There is a significant reduction in functional properties of flour after 3 and 2 months irrespective in polyethylene cover and plastic box. The properties like rolling quality, diameter after baking and water uptake by the flour were reduced significantly (p ≤ 0.05) after 4 months of storage in treated and after 1 month in control samples. Sensory scores of roti (dry pan cake) decreased significantly after 3 months of storage with an overall acceptability score of 4.0 and 3.4. In control samples mean taste (3.6), mouth feel (3.8) as well as OAA scores (3.8) decreased after second month. Hence lime treated maize flour with added nutritional benefits is suitable for making rotis of good palatability and can be stored in LDPE covers up to 3 months.