BREADFRUIT STUDIES AT THE FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY UNIT, UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES, ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD

This paper reviews the research on breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) conducted by the Food Science & Technology Unit (FSTU) and proposed studies. A consumer-acceptable, canned sliced breadfruit in 1.5% brine has been developed. Consumer-acceptable, drum-dried and cabinet-dried, protein-enriched breakfast foods using uncooked or cooked breadfruit as the main ingredient were also developed. The most acceptable drum-dried product (11.3% protein), used maize and soya as protein supplements. The most acceptable cabinet-dried product (11.5% protein) contained protein supplements (maize and peanuts). The effects of extrusion on breadfruit flour, and breadfruit flour combined with corn meal and maize flour, were also investigated. Breadfruit flavour increased as the breadfruit flour concentration increased. The resulting products closely resembled a puffed snack in texture and colour, but puffing characteristics varied for each set of products. Textural properties appeared related to breadfruit starch characteristics. Flour from mature and unripe breadfruit was evaluated in stiff porridges. Physicochemical composition and storage properties of flour, prepared from the pulp, indicated that enzyme activity continued during 15-week storage, as evident by the sugar content increase, and decrease in swelling power and paste viscosity. Most studies conducted treated the properties of breadfruit on an ad hoc basis, without considering differences due to cultivars. The Unit’s new focus will adopt a more systematic approach. Comparisons will be made on different local cultivars for industrial applications (starch production/properties), food applications (pasta products) and shelf-life studies (by investigating the inherent enzymes).