Cereal Chem 63:104-108   |  VIEW ARTICLE
Some Physical and Chemical Properties of Honey Mesquite Pod (Prosopis glandulosa) and Applications in Food Products.

R. Zolfaghari, M. Harden, and L. Huffman. Copyright 1986 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Certain physical and chemical properties of honey mesquite pod, seed, and pericarp were determined relative to food application. Flour made from the mesquite pods had similar density but superior water and oil absorption capacities to those of wheat flour. Of the 1.7% total nitrogen in the pod, 24% was nonprotein nitrogen that was mostly from the pericarp. As a function of pH, the toal nitrogen in the pod, seed, and pericarp was more soluble at pH 2.0 and above 7.0. Mesquite pod contained high amounts of detergent fiber, which was mostly contributed by the pericarp. The neutral detergent fiber content of the pod was comparable to that of wheat bran. Sensory attributes of crackers and muffins made from wheat flour substituted with up to 30% mesquite pod flour were evaluated by taste panelists. The mesquite pod flour was a better substitute for wheat flour in crackers than in muffins. When mesquite pod flour was supplemented for wheat flour at 1, 10, 20, and 30% and fed to weanling rats, only the protein efficiency ratio of the 30% substitution level was significantly higher (P less than 0.05) than that of the 100% wheat flour diet. However, the protein efficiency ratio at this level was still significantly lower (P less than 0.05) than that of the casein diet.