Physicochemical and functional properties of flour from jackfruit seed for bakery applications

Abstract:

Nearly 1.8 million tonnes of jackfruit are harvested each year in Bangladesh, yet the seeds—which make up 15-20% of the fruit weight—are mostly discarded as agro-industrial waste. Converting these protein-rich seeds into flour for bakery use could address both food waste and nutritional gaps. This research examined the physicochemical and functional characteristics of jackfruit seed flour (JSF) prepared by three processing methods—raw drying, roasting, and boiling—and compared them with refined wheat flour. Seeds were collected from ripe jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus, cv. BARI Kanthal-3) obtained from a local orchard near Sylhet, during July-August 2023. Proximate analysis revealed that raw JSF contained 66.2% carbohydrate, 13.8% protein, 3.9% fat, 5.1% crude fibre, and 2.7% ash on a dry-weight basis—protein and fibre levels markedly higher than wheat flour. Functional properties of JSF were also superior in several respects: water absorption capacity (2.34 g g⁻¹), oil absorption capacity (1.78 g g⁻¹), and emulsion activity (48.6%) all exceeded the wheat flour values. Mineral profiling showed that JSF was richer in calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium. Among the three processing methods, roasting produced a flour with the best foaming stability and lightest colour, while boiling reduced anti-nutritional factors (tannins and trypsin inhibitors) most effectively. Blending JSF with wheat flour at 10-20% substitution may improve the nutritional profile of bakery products without major changes to dough handling.