Vol. 9, Special Issue 12, Part Q (2025)

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.