Assessment of Engineering Properties of Jackfruit Seeds and Functional Properties of Its Flour

Abstract

The physical properties of jack fruit seed are essential for the design and facilities for the harvesting handling conveying, separation, drying, aeration, storing, and processing. Various types of cleaning, grading and separation equipments are designed on the basis of their physical properties. The length came between 22.06 mm to 35.68 mm. whereas the breadth was ranged between 10.66 mm to 21.70 mm. The thickness was in between 8.72 mm to 15.55 mm. The geometric mean diameter was 13.30 mm to 22.61 mm. And the sphericity was found between 55.17 mm to 72.70 mm. The jackfruit seed showed bulk density as 0.49 g/ml3. Whereas the true density was lying between 1.02 g/ ml3 to 1.59 g/ml3, while porosity came as 1013.15%.The main purpose of drying is to enhance storability, minimize handling and packaging cost. The quality of product and its cost are greatly influenced by the drying operation. The quality of dried product is judged by the amount of physical and biochemical degradation, which occurs during dehydration process. The pre- treatment, drying temperature, time and moisture content influence on the quality but require longer processing time. Functional properties are those qualities in food that provides additional health benefits to consumers and have great impact on its utilization beyond satisfying the basic nutritional requirements. Functional properties of flour are greatly affecting the behaviour of food system and its acceptability for consumption and during storage. The functional properties i.e. bulk density, water absorption capacity, oil absorption capacity are the intrinsic physicochemical characteristics which may affect the behaviour of food systems during storage. Water absorption capacity is an important functional characteristic in the development of ready to eat food from cereal grains and high water absorption capacity may assure product cohesiveness. Jackfruit seed can be processed into flour and to be used as a protein and carbohydrate supplement in diets.