Original article The quality and sensory attributes of cookies supplemented with fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook) seed flour Sunday Y. Giami, 1 * Simeon C. Achinewhu 1 & Christiana Ibaakee 2 1 Department of Food Science and Technology, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria 2 Rivers State Post-Primary Schools Board, Port Harcourt, Nigeria (Received 12 November 2003; Accepted in revised form 26 August 2004) Summary Replacing wheatflour (WHF) with defatted fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook) seed flour (FPF) at levels of 0–25% was investigated for its effect on chemical, physical, sensory and nutritional properties of cookies (biscuits). Protein quality was evaluated by using weanling albino rats fed a diet of cookies, which were formulated to supply 10% protein, with a casein diet as a control. Up to 15% substitution of WHF with FPF produced acceptable cookies with spread ratio, hardness, colour and flavour similar to the control (100% WHF) cookies. Use of higher levels (20–25%), however, resulted in reduction in these quality attributes. When WHF was replaced with 15% FPF, there was an increase of 84.6% in crude protein, 62.9% in calcium, 131.0% in potassium and 61.6% in phosphorus contents of composite cookies. There were no significant (P > 0.05) differences between the values obtained for protein efficiency ratio, net protein ratio and true digestibility of cookie diets containing 15–20% FPF, and casein when fed to rats. Keywords Acceptability, chemical composition, hardness, protein quality, spread ratio. Introduction In many developing countries, the supply of animal protein is inadequate to meet the protein needs of the rapidly growing population. This has necessi- tated contemporary research efforts geared towards the study of the food properties and potential utilization of protein from locally avail- able food crops, especially from underutilized or relatively neglected high protein oilseeds and legumes (Balogun & Fetuga, 1986; Ene-Obong & Carnovale, 1992; Giami et al., 1994; Giami & Wachuku, 1997; Enujiugha, 2000; Enujiugha & Ayodele-Oni, 2003). One of the locally available, under-exploited but potentially high protein food sources in Nigeria is fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook) seed. In addition to its importance as an oilseed (54% fat), it is a valuable source of protein (27%) with a fairly well-balanced amino acid composition (Longe et al., 1983). However, the usefulness of fluted pumpkin seed as a protein source for human food is limited by the presence of anti-nutrients, particularly phytic acid (Giami & Isichei, 1999; Akwaowo et al., 2000), which have been shown to lower the bioavailability of minerals in humans and to inhibit the digesti- bility of plant proteins (Lopez et al., 2002). Fluted pumpkin seeds are cooked and used as an ingredient, or protein supplement, in a variety of local foods (Achinewhu, 1987; Banigo & Akpapunam, 1987; Barber et al., 1989). The development of value-added products from fluted pumpkin seed had been recommended as a way to increase the opportunity to expand the utilization of the seed in the tropics (Giami & Bekebain, 1992; Giami & Isichei, 1999). One potential food application for fluted pumpkin seed flour (FPF) is *Correspondent: Fax: 234 084 230720; e-mail: sygiami@yahoo.com International Journal of Food Science and Technology 2005, 40, 613–620 613 doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.2005.01008.x Ó 2005 Institute of Food Science and Technology Trust Fund