Physicochemical, functional and nutritional properties of kiwifruit flour

Starch-rich kiwifruit was made into flour to manage the culled kiwifruit from harvesting and for potential value added processing. Physicochemical properties of the flours made from starchy (unripe)/starch-less (eating-ripe) kiwifruit (‘Hayward’ and Gold3) were studied and compared to those of traditional flours (potato, maize and wheat). Contents of total dietary fiber and free phenolics and in vitro antioxidant capacities of kiwifruit flour were significantly higher than those of potato, maize and wheat flours. These nutritional properties suggested that the starchy kiwifruit flour could be a “healthy” food ingredient. Pasting, gel texture and dynamic oscillatory analysis showed that the starchy kiwifruit flours had some similar characteristics to traditional flours with differences. The viscosity and gelation were little developed in the flours of eating-ripe kiwifruit. The flour properties were much determined by starch content and properties. The starchy kiwifruit flour may be used for “novel” and “healthy” food formulations.