ABSTRACT:

This study examined the effects of baking and frying on phytic acid degradation in commonly consumed foods, such as biscuits, cake, sweet fritters (meethi tikki), churros (andrasay), and spicy fritters prepared from chickpea (pakoras) and semolina flour. They were also analyzed for their proximate composition, mineral content (specifically phosphorus and iron), phytic acid content, and degradation. Results showed that semolina flour had the highest protein content (13.33 ±1.21%), followed by chickpea flour with the highest overall protein (17.53 ± 1.02%). Ground (Chakki mill) flour contained higher crude ash (4.65 ±0.98%), fiber (6.28 ± 0.14%), the highest phosphorus and iron content (3164 ± 1.161 mg/ kg^-1 and 76.3 ±0.43 mg/kg^-1, respectively), and the highest phytate content (1.93 ±3.27 g). The cookies made with bakery flour showed the highest phytate degradation in biscuits (28.2%), while cakes made with all-purpose flour and baking powder showed a 23.4% decline. Among fried items, sweet fritters (andrasay) exhibited the highest degradation (60.6%), indicating the effectiveness of soaking processes ahead of further processing. It is concluded that dry heat cooking significantly reduces phytic acid levels, and additional improvements may be achieved with wet methods and other techniques.

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