Master of Science / Food Science Institute / Fadi Aramouni / Flour from the fruit of breadfruit trees (Artocarpus altilis) holds the potential to serve as an alternative to gluten-containing flour and may aid in alleviating food insecurity. This study assessed the effects breadfruit flour contributes to gluten-free bread quality. Breadfruit flour was included at a baker’s percentage (0, 20, 35, 50%) of a gluten-free flour blend, and was treated with various leavening agents (yeast, 15% baking powder, 20% baking powder) to create varying gluten-free bread formulas. Density and pH of each batter was assessed along with loaf density, yield, specific volume, pH, water activity, crust color (L*, a*, b*), crumb color (L*, a*, b*), and texture. Additionally, a consumer sensory study was performed to ascertain degree of liking of appearance, color, flavor, texture, aftertaste, likelihood to purchase, and overall acceptability. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in batter pH, loaf density, yield, specific volume, color (crust b*, crumb L*, a*, b*), pH, water activity, and texture among flour inclusion and leavening treatments. Consumer testing yielded significant differences (p < 0.05) between the control and a yeast leavened 20% breadfruit formula in appearance, color, flavor, aftertaste, likelihood to purchase, and overall acceptability. While most consumers rated the breadfruit treatment lower than the control, five celiac panelists rated it higher. Among all treatments, loaves produced from 20% breadfruit flour inclusion had significantly lower density, yield, hardness, adhesiveness, gumminess, chewiness, and crumb yellowness (b*), as well as higher specific volume, springiness, crust yellowness (b*) and darkness (L*), crumb darkness (L*), and magenta hue (a*) compared to other breadfruit flour inclusion levels. Similarly, loaves leavened with yeast had significantly lower batter pH, loaf pH, density, yield, hardness, chewiness, crust yellowness (a*), crumb darkness (L*), magenta hue (a*), and yellowness (b*) as well as higher loaf water activity, volume, springiness, and crust darkness (L*) compared to other breadfruit flour inclusion levels. These results indicate breadfruit flour can be used at ≤ 20% in gluten-free bread formulas to replace rice flour and has potential as a fiber supplement. Further research is needed to assess how breadfruit flour affects the quality of other gluten-free product formulas.

Breadfuit is a strange thing. It's a starchy potato-like sustenance not particularly noteworthy by most accounts. But it's history is amazing, an epic journey. Relocated from the Samoan island of Upalu to Oahu, Hawaii in the 12th Century as well as transplanted from Tahiti, as an economical food source for slaves in the West Indies in 1780 the lowly breadfruit has been held in the hands of Fletcher Christian, Captain Bligh, James Cook, King Kamehameha and innumerous other nameless individuals including Matt Spahr. This fruit contains the weight of colonialism, capitalism, exploration and tropical fantasy under its skin. The collision of histories such as these and the identities of related participants are the focus of the following essay.

Les résultats de cette étude de la composition du fruit à pain récolté sur un territoire contrasté du point de vue agropédoclimatique, et de son amidon, montrent que la teneur en amidon du fruit à pain apparaît comme étant influencée par la saison, mais pas par la zone de récolte. La teneur en amidon beaucoup plus élevée pour les fruits à pain développés durant la saison la plus sèche est un résultat très original. La connaissance du cycle de développement des fruits à pain à la Martinique a été décrite pour une première fois, permettant de déterminer une période de récolte optimisée par rapport à la floraison : la 16ème semaine pour une croissance maximale, ou la 17ème semaine pour une plus haute teneur en amidon. L’étude de Worrell et al., (1998), la seule publiée actuellement, menée à la Barbade, a montré un cycle plus long de 2 semaines environ.Du point de vue de la diversité génétique, les fruits à pain récoltés en Martinique constituent un seul groupe, à l’opposé de ceux récoltés en Guadeloupe qui constituent 2 sous-groupes proches.En ce qui concerne l’amidon, nos résultats montrent que les dimensions des grains d’amidon de fruits matures sont comprises entre 9 et 12 µm. Leur taille augmente avec la croissance du fruit puisque dans un fruit immature leur diamètre moyen était de 7,5 µm. Il s’agit d’amidons de type B à très haute cristallinité, dont les températures d'empesage sont autour de 75 °C. Parmi les facteurs agropédoclimatiques, l’humidité a eu un rôle actif sur la qualité de l’amidon puisque à la fois la quantité d’amylose et la masse molaire de l’amylopectine diminuent. L’amidon a une solubilité et un gonflement faible du même ordre de grandeur que les amidons classiques et une forte viscosité à la gélatinisation et à la rétrogradation, lui conférant une aptitude à l’utilisation comme gélifiant.Des essais d’applications alimentaires ont été effectués en panification et en extrusion. Des transformations en produits de type crackers ont donné des résultats moyennement satisfaisant avec 100 % de farine de fruit à pain. En panification l’incorporation de farine de fruit à pain a des actions délétères sur la valeur boulangère. L’acceptabilité d’un goût « nature, vert » conféré par la farine de fruit à pain devra notamment être évaluée lors de travaux ultérieurs.Le développement de produits à base de fruit à pain permettra / The results of this study the composition of breadfruit harvested in an area of agro climatic soil contrasting views, and its starch, show that the starch content of breadfruit appears to be influenced by season, but not by collection area. The starch content is much higher for breadfruit developed during the driest season is a very original result. Knowledge of the development cycle of breadfruit in Martinique has been described for the first time, to determine an optimal harvest period compared to flower: the 16th week for maximum growth, or the 17th week for a higher starch content. The study by Worrell et al., (1998), the only currently published, conducted in Barbados, showed a longer cycle of about 2 weeks.From the perspective of genetic diversity, breadfruit harvested in Martinique as a single group, in contrast to those collected in Guadeloupe that are close to two subgroups.With regard to starch, our results show that the size of starch granules of mature fruits are between 9 and 12 microns. Their size increases with the growth of the fruit as an immature fruit in their mean diameter was 7.5 microns. This is B-type starches with very high crystallinity, with temperatures of gelatinization are around 75 °C. Agro climatic soil factors, humidity took an active role on the quality of starch, since both the amount of amylose and amylopectin molecular weight of the decline. The starch has a solubility and low swelling of the same order of magnitude as the conventional starches and high viscosity to gelatinization and retrogradation, giving it a suitability for use as a gelling agent.Testing of food applications were made in bakery and extrusion. Changes in products like crackers gave moderately satisfactory results with 100 % breadfruit flour. Incorporation into bread flour breadfruit has deleterious actions on the baking. The acceptability of a taste "nature green" conferred by the breadfruit flour will be particularly assessed in future work.Product development based breadfruit allow several things, which meet the growing demand for food diversification.