Abstract
Noodles are a popular starchy food among youth and children. However, they are not nutritionally adequate as a single meal. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of Amaranthus leaf powder (ALP) addition on the nutritional composition, physical quality and consumer acceptability of instant noodles. Instant noodle samples were developed by partially substituting wheat flour used in a common noodle recipe with 1, 2 and 3% (w/w) of ALP. The samples were analyzed for nutritional composition using AOAC methods. Physical quality was evaluated in terms of color (CIELAB color values) and texture (g cutting force). Consumer acceptability was evaluated by 60 panelists using a 9-point hedonic scale. Increasing ALP from 0% to 3% had a non-significant effect on the total glycemic carbohydrate, protein, fiber and mineral contents of the noodles. However, the fat content significantly increased (from 1.55% to 4.57%) with the inclusion of ALP, leading to a higher energy value. ALP-fortified noodle samples were significantly softer in texture (271.39 g) than standard noodles (control) (609.08 g), and a significantly greener color was observed with ALP addition. All noodle samples were as acceptable as the control, which suggests that ALP could be used to improve the nutritional value of instant noodles.