Preliminary study into the production of non‐wheat bread from acha (<b><i>Digitaria exilis</i></b>)

Purpose This paper seeks to examine the production of wheatless bread from acha flour and to determine consumer acceptability of the product. Design/methodology/approach Wheatless bread was baked from acha ( Digitaria exilis ) and Irish potato starch blends of 80:20 respectively with varying (1‐4 per cent) quantity of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC). The loaves were assessed for loaf volume (LV) and specific loaf volume (SLV) as well as consumer acceptability. Findings The addition of CMC gave an increase in LV of 40.0 per cent in acha bread (AB) with 1 per cent CMC to 59.5 per cent in AB with 4 per cent CMC. The SLV of the acha loaves did not differ significantly from one another. There were significant differences ( p &lt; 0.05) between AB without CMC, AB with 1‐3 per cent CMC and wheat bread in appearance, crust colour, crumb texture, crumb colour and general acceptability ( p &lt; 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the AB with 4 per cent CMC and wheat bread in crumb texture, crumb colour and general acceptability. AB with 4 per cent CMC compared favourably with wheat bread in sensory characteristics. Research limitations/implications This work was a preliminary work to determine the possibility of producing bread with acha. Further research will investigate the functional and nutritional qualities of AB with 4 per cent CMC found to be comparable with wheat bread. Practical implications The study demonstrated the possibility of producing AB using CMC. Originality/value Acha has been identified as a major food for diabetic patients in Nigeria by medical practitioners. The AB developed will be of great benefit to countless diabetic patients in Nigeria.