Viscograph software

The pasting properties of the samples were determined according to the method described by Agyepong and Barimah [19 (link)], utilizing a Brabender Visco-amylograph (Visco-E, Brabender^® OHG, Duisberg, Germany). To determine the moisture content of each banana flour sample, an electronic moisture meter (MJ33, Mettler Toledo, Zurich, Switzerland) was employed. The moisture content value of a sample was then inputted into the Brabender Viscograph software (Version 4.2), which automatically provided the required weight of the flour sample and the quantity of distilled water needed to create flour suspension with a final weight of 450 g. Subsequently, the suspension was placed in the measuring bowl of the instrument and heated at a rate of 1.5 °C/min through a thermos-regulator. The heating process involved increasing the temperature from 50 to 95 °C, followed by a 15 min. holding period at 95 °C. Subsequently, the suspension was cooled to 50 °C for 15 min.

The pasting properties of the raw materials were examined using the Brabender Micro Visco-Amylo-Graph (Brabender, Duisburg, Germany) based on the method reported by Mitrus et al. [32 (link)]. Aqueous solutions of 10 g of blends and 100 mL of distilled water were mixed for 5 min before the tests. The measurements were performed at a 250 rpm constant speed and 35 cmg sensitivity. Pasting properties were tested under the following test profile: heating from 30 to 93 °C with the speed of 7.5 °C min⁻¹, 5 min holding at 93 °C, cooling from 93 to 50 °C with a speed of 7.5 °C min⁻¹, 1 min holding at 50 °C. The 4.1.1 version of Brabender Viscograph software allowed us to determine: peak viscosity (PV)—as maximum viscosity during the heating stage, hot paste viscosity (HPV)—as paste viscosity after 5 min holding at 93 °C, cold paste viscosity (CPV)—as cooked paste viscosity after cooling to 50 °C, breakdown (BD)—the difference between PV and HPV, setback (SB)—the difference between CPV and HPV. Tests were completed in triplicate.

The pasting properties of pellets and snacks were tested as described by Mitrus et al. [21 (link)], using the Brabender Micro Visco-Amylo-Graph (Brabender GmbH & Co. KG, Duisburg, Germany). Accordingly, 10 g of the ground sample was dispersed in 100 mL of distilled water. The experiment was conducted at a speed of 250 rpm and a sensitivity of 235 cmg. During all measurements, the following test profile was used: heating (30–93 °C) with a temperature gradient of 7.5 °C/min, holding (93 °C for 5 min), cooling (93–50 °C) with a temperature gradient of 7.5 °C/min, holding at 50 °C for 1 min. Selected pellet or expanded snack characteristics that were assessed included: peak viscosity (PV); hot paste viscosity (HPV); cold paste viscosity (CPV); breakdown (BD) as the difference between PV and HPV; and setback (SB) as the difference between CPV and HPV, using the Brabender Viscograph software (version 4.1.1) application.