Production, Proximate Composition, and Sensory Evaluation of Gurasa from Locally Grown Wheat Varieties in Northern Nigeria

The increasing demand for wheatbased foods in Nigeria has led to heavy reliance on imported wheat, despite the availability of locally grown wheat. This research investigates the production of flour from locally grown wheat varieties, the processing of gurasa (a traditional Northern Nigerian flatbread), and the evaluation of its proximate and sensory qualities compared to imported wheat flour. Two varieties of wheat were conditioned, milled, enriched, and subjected to proximate composition analyses (moisture, ash, fat, fiber, protein, and carbohydrate content) following AOAC standard methods. Sensory evaluation was conducted to assess taste, texture, color, and overall acceptability. Results indicate that locally grown wheat can produce flour suitable for gurasa processing with proximate values comparable to imported wheat. Sensory evaluation revealed consumer acceptability of the locally grown wheatbased gurasa, though with variations in texture and color. This study underscores the potential of local wheat in reducing import dependence and promoting food security in Nigeria.