Abstract:
Njavara/ basmati, was blended with Nendran banana powder in the ratios: 60:40,
70:30, 50:50, 80:20 and 90:10 respectively. The moisture content of the blend was made
to 16% by adding water/milk. Each blend was extruded in a Brabender single screw
extruder using 500gm per trial at 80 rpm with three extruder exit temperatures (150, 160,
170 0 C) through a 2mm die. When the temperature increased beyond 150 0 C, there was
considerable increase in the expansion ratio (3.2-3.75), where as in the case of milk there
was slight decrease in expansion ratio (3.08). Higher die temperature caused decrease in
bulk density, while addition of milk produced not much effect on bulk density. In the
colour analysis, addition of milk caused rise in ‘L’value and decrease in ‘a’ and ‘b’ values
with increase in proportion of cereal flour. But in the case of without milk, the ‘a’ and ‘b’
value decreased with increase in cereal flour. In sensory analysis the extrudate from
njavara and banana (70:30) and basmati with banana (90:10) at 170 0 C were adjudged
superior in quality for sugar and spicy coating respectively. In the first stage of study
mushroom powder was also blended, later it was discarded due to lower expansion ratio.
