Nutritional Characteristics of Linseed/Flaxseed (Linum Usitatissimum) and its Application in Muffin Making

Flaxseed, one of the underutilized oilseeds, is a rich source of dietary
fiber, w-3 fatty acid and protein. Flaxseed powder contained 21.8% protein
and 42.7% total dietary fiber, which upon roasting reduced to 20.3 and
40.50%, respectively. Addition of flaxseed powder weakened the dough. Peak
viscosity and cold paste viscosity also decreased. The volume of the muffins
gradually decreased from 150 to 145 and 120 cc. Muffins prepared from 20%
of raw and roasted flaxseed powder had 10.2 and 9.9% of protein and 12.8 and
11.7% of dietary fiber, respectively. w-3 fatty acid contents in raw and roasted
flaxseed powder were 55.41 and 50.76%, and the muffins prepared with 20%
raw and roasted flaxseed powder had 12.85 and 11.14%, respectively. Sodium
dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic pattern and gel filtration
studies showed that high- and low-molecular weight protein bands were identified
in raw and roasted flaxseed powder and in the product.