American Journal of Food Science and Technology, 2019, Vol. 7, No. 2, 40-44 Available online at http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajfst/7/2/1 Published by Science and Education Publishing DOI:10.12691/ajfst-7-2-1 Development of Gluten-free Biscuit from Peanut-Pearl Millet Composite Flour Martha Wunnam Alhassan * , Theodora Ojangba, Francis Kweku Amagloh Department of Food Science and Technology, University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana *Corresponding author: mwalhassan@uds.edu.gh Received December 03, 2018; Revised January 06, 2019; Accepted March 01, 2019 Abstract The consumption of wheat products is increasing in Africa even though the climatic conditions in many African countries do not promote its cultivation. The main objective of the study was to develop a nutritious gluten-free biscuit from peanut-millet composite flour. Three composite flours were prepared from peanut (P) and Pearl millet (M). These include; PMF01 (60% PF: 40% MF), PMF02 (40% PF: 60% MF), and PMF03 (50% PF: 50% MF). The proximate compositions and sensory qualities of the composite biscuits were determined and compared with biscuit prepared from 100% wheat flour as control. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between the composite biscuits and the 100% wheat biscuit in all the proximate compositions (moisture, crude fat and carbohydrate) except protein and ash contents. The 100% wheat biscuit recorded lower protein and ash contents (7.26±0.35 c and 1.01±0.01 c respectively) compared to the composite biscuits. Fifty (50) untrained sensory judges were used to assess the consumer acceptability of the biscuit products using a 7-point hedonic scale (from 1 = dislike extremely to 7 = like extremely). The sensory attributes that were assessed include color, taste, aroma, crispiness and overall acceptability. The results of the sensory analysis revealed that the composite biscuits were generally liked and accepted. This indicates that peanut-millet composite biscuits when commercialized may be accepted by consumers. Peanut-millet flour formulations can therefore potentially substitute wheat flour in biscuit making. Keywords: gluten-free, formulation, composite flour, biscuit, consumer acceptability Cite This Article: Martha Wunnam Alhassan, Theodora Ojangba, and Francis Kweku Amagloh, “Development of Gluten-free Biscuit from Peanut-Pearl Millet Composite Flour.” American Journal of Food Science and Technology, vol. 7, no. 2 (2019): 40-44. doi: 10.12691/ajfst-7-2-1. 1. Introduction Malnutrition continues to be a major challenge in Sub- Saharan Africa even though she is abounding in foods. This is partly due to the underutilization of locally grown crops. Biscuit is one of the most widely consumed snacks in the world and is fast becoming a popular snack in Ghana due to its good eating quality and long shelf life. Most bakery products including biscuits are made from refined flour. This is because wheat is known to contain a high amount of gluten which is responsible for most of the quality characteristics of pastries. In Ghana, biscuits are among the most widely consumed snacks. However, the climatic conditions do not permit wheat which is the major ingredient in biscuit preparation, to be grown locally. This has resulted in high importation of wheat in Ghana; a situation that has led to the high cost of biscuits in the country. The protein gluten found in wheat is responsible for severe discomforts in people who suffer from celiac disease; a condition resulting from an intolerance to gluten. Celiac disease is a chronic disease of the gastrointestinal system, in which characteristic damage of the small intestinal mucosa occurs in genetically susceptible people in response to the presence of gluten in food [1]. Wheat is also considered nutritionally poor because it is deficient in essential amino acids such as lysine and threonine [2]. These challenges associated with the use of wheat, has necessitated the search for alternate flour sources to replace wheat in the preparation of bakery products. Most countries are now interested in the possibility of replacing the wheat needed for making baked goods, wholly or partly with flour obtained from home grown products [3]. Composite flour is a new approach to utilize underutilized food products. Peanut serves as a cheap source of high- quality dietary protein and oil. Although millets are nutritionally superior to other cereals, their utilization as food is mostly limited to traditional consumers and population of lower economic standard [4]. This study is warranted because, composite flour produced from peanut and pearl millet can serve as an alternative to wheat flour in the preparation of biscuit. It will help to reduce the importation of wheat and also reduce the cost of biscuit production thus making it more affordable. Composite biscuit from peanut and millet will serve as an alternate bakery product for celiacs who are allergic to the gluten in wheat. The incorporation of peanut in the composite biscuit will also help to improve the protein content of biscuits since peanuts contain more protein as compared to wheat. The study will ultimately