LAUSR

Seedless okra pods were extracted in 0.05 M NaOH, freeze-dried (OE) and added to pudding formula at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8%. The effect of OE on the quality of pudding was investigated using rapid visco-analyzer (RVA), Brookfield viscometer and texture analyzer, in addition to sensory evaluation. The RVA data showed that samples with higher OE exhibited higher peak viscosity, lower breakdown and greater setback. However, lower flow behavior index (n) signifies higher pseudoplastic nature of the pudding systems. The activation energy (Ea) exhibited a wide range of values depicting great impact on pudding thermal stability. The texture profile indicated decreasing hardness at higher OE levels. The sensory testing showed that 2% OE was closer to the control in terms of overall acceptability. In summary, although OE influenced the thermal and viscous properties of pudding, it delivered the minimum FDA requirement for soluble fiber and a fairly acceptable product. Practical Applications The outcome of this work can be a basis for making use of okra gum in producing high soluble-fiber pudding. Pudding was chosen for this project because it is consumed by almost all age groups, it is fairly simple food system to process and it can be prepared by adding different types of flavors and other additives to meet consumer's preference. The formulation presented here can also meet the FDA recommendation for soluble fiber daily intake while maintaining reasonable consumer acceptability. Finally, okra is a low cost source of soluble fiber and can grow in a wide range of climate.