Development of vacuum fried chips from orange peel powder and raw banana flour

Abstract

Vacuum frying is gaining attention as a method for producing healthier fried snacks with improved nutritional and functional quality. This study developed vacuum-fried chips using Nendran banana flour (NBF) enriched with orange peel powder (OPP) and evaluated their proximate, functional, phytochemical, sensory, textural, and storage characteristics. NBF showed high carbohydrate content (75±0.40 g/100 g), moderate fibre (10.90±0.25 g/100 g), and low fat (1.52±0.01 g/100 g), while OPP exhibited high fibre (10.6%), notable protein (5.17±0.40%), and strong antioxidant activity (DPPH 86.1±0.82%). Incorporation of OPP significantly enhanced the nutritional profile of the chips, with protein increasing from 2.3 to 4.8 g/100 g, fibre from 6.4 to 15.2 g/100 g, and ash from 3.0 to 4.5 g/100 g, alongside proportional reductions in carbohydrate and fat. The T3 sample showed maximum micronutrient enrichment, recording vitamin C (67.5 mg/100 g), magnesium (105.2 mg/100 g), and potassium (1162 mg/100 g). Antioxidant activity was highest in T3, with flavonoids (442.7 mg), DPPH (456.2), and ABTS (615.1). Sensory evaluation rated T3 highest in flavor (8.21), taste (8.16), and overall acceptability (8.50). Textural analysis showed desirable firmness (2774.55), and T3 remained microbiologically stable for 60 days. These results identify T3 as the optimal formulation with strong functional and commercial potential.