Gluten free sourdough breads from pearl millet-Bambara nut and pearl millet-soybean paste: Evaluation of the proximate, functional properties of the flour blends and the bread nutritional indexes

Wheat bread (WB) triggers celiac disease to the vulnerable consumers which has no cure except controlled or abstinence from gluten injection in the diet. Besides, wheat importation is costly which reflects on bread cost. This study aimed at elaborating and analyzing gluten free sourdough bread (SB) from pearl millet-Bambara nut and pearl millet-soybean composite flours and compared with wheat flour bread. The results revealed variations (p < 0.05) in moisture, dry matter, ash, crude protein, crude fibre, fat, carbohydrate and energy contents of SBs between 33.37–33.47 %, 66.54–66.63 %, 1.93–2.15 %, 9.84–10.36 %, 1.08–1.17 %, 3.78–6.35 %, 46.82–49.69 % and 276.38–294.13 Kcal respectively. While that of WB were 34.71, 63.29, 2.10, 50.51, 0.84, 4.87 and 46.95 % respectively. Micronutrient composition varied (p < 0.05) from 49.42 to 51.77, 63.64–68.50, 0.78–1.06, 0.26–0.76, 0.19–0.23 and 8.27–9.53 mg/100 g respectively for calcium, phosphorous, iron, vitamins B1, B2 and C. Respective WB values were 42.85, 59.17, 1.17, o.23, 0.17 and 7.62 mg/100 g. Physical properties varied (p < 0.05) from 0.35 to 0.95 cm, 172.13–219 cm3, 214–219 g and 8.06–8.50 cm3/g and that of WB were 4.50 cm, 196.70 cm3 237 g and 8.30 cm3/g respectively, for oven spring, loaf volume, loaf weight and specific loaf volume. Most of the chemicaland physical parameters have significant (p < 0.01) correlation. Acceptability scores of the SBs varied (p > 0.05) from 5.20 to 5.85 while that of WB was 7.550. Millet-soybean paste (50: 50) produced a better SB with higher nutrient content and acceptability score than that from millet-Bambara nut composite flour. Varying their blending ratios could give better results.