Influence of Maturity and Drying Methods on the Chemical, Functional and Antioxidant Properties of Breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis)

This study investigated the effect of maturity and drying methods on some chemical, functional and antioxidant properties of breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) flour. Breadfruit flour was produced from mature and immature breadfruit by hot air oven, sun drying and biomass fuelled dryer at 60°C and the effect of maturity and drying methods on the chemical, functional and antioxidant properties of breadfruit flour were also investigated using standard methods. The results showed that there were significant differences in the properties studied in all the mature and immature samples for all the drying methods. For proximate composition, ascorbic acid, tocopherol, minerals, water absorption capacity, swelling power, solubility and bulk density, matured samples had higher and significant values, while for dispersibility and flavonoid, immature samples had higher and significant values. It was also observed that the chemical properties of breadfruit were significantly retained by air oven drying. It was concluded from the results of this study that for better retention of nutritional qualities of bread fruit flour, oven drying method is better and matured fruits should be used.